Air Deccan chairman GR Gopinath: Vijay Mallya is "political football"

Air Deccan chairman GR Gopinath said that Kingfisher Airlines (KFA) founder Vijay Mallya is a "victim of flamboyance and arrogance rather than any political conspiracy".

Gopinath, who is credited with making flying affordable through the no-frills airline, also said that the prevalent regulations "forced" KFA to acquire his company.

He sold Air Deccan to KFA for a total consideration of Rs 1,000 crore in 2007, during the heydays of the aviation sector.

"I think he (Mallya) has become more a victim of flamboyance and arrogance than of any political conspiracy," Gopinath said.

A regular at global partying circles, Mallya, whose interests include Formula-1 and an annual swimwear calendar, moved to London amid growing attention from the Indian law enforcement agencies and courts. He has now become the poster-boy of defaults.

The liquor baron was "not wise" about his activities during the days of default, Gopinath said, referring to him as a "political football", who borrowed money when the Congress-led UPA government was in power.