Overview
- Modi deleted the Instagram clip and posted on X that his remark was "misconstrued," offering his "deepest apologies" to the Indian government.
- The video, recorded during Vijay Mallya’s 70th birthday celebrations in London, showed Modi describing them as "the two biggest fugitives of India" with a caption inviting attention.
- Public reaction on social media condemned the clip as mocking India’s justice system, while Modi offered no further clarification beyond the apology.
- MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated that discussions with multiple governments continue to facilitate returns, citing complex, multi‑layered legal steps.
- Mallya remains on bail in the UK resisting extradition as a London court this year upheld a bankruptcy order linked to roughly £1.05 billion, while Lalit Modi has lived abroad since leaving India in 2010 over alleged IPL‑era irregularities.