India, Sept. 9 -- Fugitive businessman and former Royal Challengers Bangalore owner Vijay Mallya has fired back against critics labeling him a runaway defaulter, claiming he is legally prohibited from leaving the United Kingdom. In a defiant social media statement on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, the 70-year-old tycoon insisted he has held permanent British residency since 1992, accusing the Government of India of turning him into a political poster boy through unjust legal prosecution.

Legal Outburst Over Fugitive Label And Extradition Delay

Addressing persistent public criticism regarding his absence from Indian courts, Mallya rejected the fugitive label in an unsparing public message.

"For all who say I am a bhagoda refusing to come...