India vows to bring back Lalit Modi, Vijay Mallya after viral ‘fugitives’ video

India on Monday said it was committed to bringing back fugitives Lalit Modi and Vijay Mallya to face trial, after a video showing the two at a birthday celebration and jokingly calling themselves “the biggest fugitives from India”, triggered sharp reactions online.

The video, shared on Instagram by Lalit Modi, shows him posing with Mallya at the latter’s birthday party. Lalit Modi's remark in the clip quickly went viral and drew criticism on social media.

Responding to the video, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said efforts to secure the return of both men were ongoing, though the cases involved complex legal processes across multiple jurisdictions.


“We are in talks with several governments and processes are underway. As you know, many of these cases involve multiple layers of legal procedures,” an MEA spokesperson said. “Despite that, we remain committed to bringing them back so that they can face trial before Indian courts.”

Vijay Mallya, the former promoter of the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines, left India for the United Kingdom in 2016 after several cases were filed against him over alleged financial irregularities and loan defaults involving thousands of crores of rupees.

Lalit Modi, the former chairman of the Indian Premier League, left India in 2010 following investigations into alleged financial misconduct and irregularities during the league’s early years.