It was an evening to remember for fugitive billionaires Lalit Modi and Vijay Mallya. A video of the two controversial businessmen enjoying and jamming together at a lavish private party in London has gone viral.
Lalit Modi shared a clip of himself performing Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” alongside Vijay Mallya at what he called the “annual summer party,” a night filled with drinks, dancing, and merriment.
According to Lalit Modi, the gathering hosted over 310 friends and family members, with guests flying in from several countries. Among the attendees was former Royal Challengers Bengaluru cricketer Chris Gayle, who shared an Instagram story featuring a photo with both Modi and Mallya. His caption read: “We living it up. Thanks for a lovely evening,” tagging both men.
Despite the jamming and fun-filled atmosphere, the two businessmen were heavily criticised for hosting the summer party, given the serious legal controversies surrounding them.
A user wrote, “Sad reality that all fugitives are enjoying lavish life after looting money from the Indian public.”
Another User Wrote, “Do Bhai Dono Tabahi.”
Charges against Lalit Modi and Vijay Mallya
Lalit Modi, the founding chairman of the Indian Premier League, fled India in 2010 amid multiple allegations of financial misconduct. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed several cases against him, including charges of money laundering, bid manipulation, and violations under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). Although India has repeatedly sought his extradition, he continues to reside in the UK.
Vijay Mallya, often dubbed the King of Good Times, is similarly entangled in legal trouble. He is wanted in India for defaulting on loans worth Rs 9,000 crore and faces fraud and money laundering charges. Arrested in London in 2017 following India’s extradition request, Mallya is currently out on bail as legal proceedings continue. He has consistently claimed that the charges against him are politically motivated and denies any wrongdoing.
Just last week, the UK’s High Court rejected Mallya’s appeal against a 2021 bankruptcy order.
In a social media post last year, Mallya claimed that Indian authorities had already seized and recovered assets worth ₹14,131 crore — an amount he said exceeded the total debt attributed to Kingfisher Airlines.
“I am still an economic offender. Unless the ED and banks can legally justify how they have taken more than two times the debt, I am entitled to relief, which I will pursue,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
He also questioned the CBI’s ongoing fraud case against him concerning a ₹900 crore loan from IDBI Bank.
In response, Lalit Modi had simply commented, “This too shall pass.”
Recently, Vijay Mallya also made headlines for an explosive interview with Raj Shamani.
Appearing on Raj Shamani’s podcast Figuring Out, Vijay Mallya opened up about his legal battles, the collapse of Kingfisher Airlines, media vilification, and even addressed long-standing controversies like the Kingfisher calendar.
