Panaji, Feb 18 : Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju said on Saturday he was surprised at how former liquor tycoon and Kingfishers Airlines promoter Vijay Mallya managed to renege on a string of professional commitments.
"I myself was surprised. Kingfisher had not paid its labour, its leasees, the petroleum companies and airport authorities. How he managed that, please ask him. I told Parliament that I cannot put the clock back. And it is the government of the day that should have taken action," Raju said, adding that "law would take its own course" vis-a-vis the offences booked against Mallya.
He also said, that some of the cheques the now-absconding Mallya had issued to the Airports Authority of India had bounced.
"Law takes its own course, because some cheques he had given us bounced. So that becomes a criminal offence. The law is taking its own course, I can assure you that government of India is not going to protect anyone who is unlawlful," he said.
A non-bailable warrant had also been issued against Mallya in connection with the dud cheques.
