Vijay Mallya hit back at those calling him a “bhagoda”, saying he is legally prohibited from leaving the United Kingdom.
Alleged fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya, who is currently living in London, has once again claimed that he is a victim of injustice by the Indian government, saying that, given all the “injustices” he has faced, he wonders if he should become a “cockroach”.
Taking to X, he said, “With all the injustices I have faced and continue to face, I wonder if I should become a cockroach. Maybe a better life on the cockroach side.”
With all the injustices I have faced and continue to face, I wonder if I should become a cockroach. Maybe a better life on the cockroach side.
— Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) September 9, 2026
Mallya’s “cockroach” remark comes after the rise of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), an outfit launched as satire in May but which went on to gather huge support from the Indian youth. Its first-ever agitation at Jantar Mantar against the NEET-UG paper leak led to the resignation of then education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
In a separate post, Mallya said the Enforcement Directorate, in an affidavit filed before the Bombay High Court, had accepted that it had recovered ₹14,000 crore from him and paid the amount to the banks to which he owed money.
“And may I say again, affidavit filed in Court by the most feared criminal agency the Enforcement Directorate confirms that they handed over ₹14,000 plus crores to the Banks in 2021. Forget what I say if you don’t trust me. Focus on what the Enforcement Directorate said,” he added.
Mallya later responded to reactions to his previous posts, saying that he accepted both criticism and support while seeking to clarify what he described as misconceptions about his residency and the repayment of dues.
“Thank you all for your mixed replies to my tweets. Love and hate go hand in hand and I respectfully accept that whilst humbly accepting your opinions. But for those who do not understand the difference between permanent residency and citizenship and for those who think that repayments are based on physical presence, please think again.”
Mallya clarifies ‘Bhagoda’ claims
Earlier on Wednesday, Mallya hit back at those calling him a “bhagoda”, saying he is legally prohibited from leaving the United Kingdom and accusing the Indian government of being “grossly unjust” in his case.
“For all who say I am a bhagoda refusing to come to India, please be aware that I have been a permanent resident of the United Kingdom since 1992 and am currently legally prohibited from leaving this country. All this started with poster boy actions by the Government of India who have been grossly unjust in my case,” Mallya said in a post on X.
For all who say I am a bhagoda refusing to come to India, please be aware that I have been a permanent resident of the United Kingdom since 1992 and am currently legally prohibited from leaving this country. All this started with poster boy actions by the Government of India who have been grossly unjust in my case.
— Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) September 8, 2026
In February 2026, Mallya had made similar claims, when he told the Bombay High Court that he could not specify when he would return to India because UK courts had barred him from leaving England and Wales or applying for or possessing an international travel document.
In another post, Mallya asked his “naysayers” to independently verify his claims, saying the Enforcement Directorate had released funds attached to him to pay Kingfisher employees.