New Delhi (Sputnik): Social media users were left amused after watching a video clip showing the booing of Indian business tycoon Vijay Mallya during an India versus Australia match during the ongoing ICC World Cup 2019 in London.
In the video, which has gone viral on social media platforms, Mallya can be seen being cornered by some cricket fans who can be heard chanting "Chor Hai" — (he's a thief) in Hindi.
VIJAY MALLYA HOOTED IN LONDON COURT. pic.twitter.com/cIY8YnmHxW
— tikam nariani (@tikam53) June 10, 2019
Before the heckling video went viral, Mallya, 63, had tweeted a photo of him watching the cricket match with his son.
Great to watch cricket with my son and even sweeter to see India’s emphatic victory over Australia. Congratulations to @imVkohli and his team pic.twitter.com/R01aB1WbSA
— Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) June 9, 2019
The Twitterati were clearly amused with the heckling incident and some users wrote that he deserved the jeering.
People chant 'Chor hai. Chor hai.' as Vijay Mallya leaves the stadium in London after the India-Australia match with his mother. Someone says, 'Be a man. Apologise to the country.' https://t.co/Ih53KtUDvJ
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) June 9, 2019
Crowd chants Vijay Mallya Chor Hai… as he goes to watch the India-Australia match. (Kingfisher employees clearly cannot be happy about Mallya using every trick in the trade to stay on in the UK instead of returning to India and clearing all loans. Money allegedly siphoned off. https://t.co/cyqXBcPbye
— GAURAV C SAWANT (@gauravcsawant) June 10, 2019
Look…. how people of our country welcome Vijay Mallya. This should be done with the traitors of the country. pic.twitter.com/hwDyFjSbew
— Lalit Bansal (@LalitBansal_) June 10, 2019
Don't forget indian crowd is everywhere, so don't mess with us😎😎#VijayMallya #Bhagoda pic.twitter.com/dRdrW1ZHMR
— Ankita Mishra (@Indian_skm) June 10, 2019
Obviously he loved himself more than the nation but anybody in his place would have done UK law is extremely generous when it comes to human right
— prachi-kapoor (@kapoor_prachi) June 11, 2019
His real place is in jail.
— Somdatta Chatterjee (@Cool_SomChats) June 11, 2019
After the incident, Mallya was seen telling the media that he just wants to safely escort his elderly mother out of the crowd.
Some Twitter users believe that the Indian diaspora in UK should not have behaved disrespectfully towards the beleaguered businessman.
No matter what @TheVijayMallya may or may not have done…It's disgusting to see educated fellow #Indians (most of whom I'm sure haven't been impacted by his actions) act like uncouth hooligans with the man's partner & mother with him too, post #INDvAUS at #CWC19!#BeTheChange pic.twitter.com/oo5UVShb0t
— Suhail Chandhok (@suhailchandhok) June 10, 2019
Vijay Mallya being jeered as ‘chor’ during #INDvAUS match.
— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) June 10, 2019
He may have done wrong but there are enough businessmen roaming around freely in India who have defaulted several times more than him. Sometimes brashness and lifestyle leads you to becoming a scapegoat. pic.twitter.com/BbMe7SYjCb
Mallya is facing extradition proceedings for allegedly defaulting on loans amounting to Rs. 9,000 crore ($1.28 billion approx.). Earlier last year, a consortium of 13 Indian banks, led by the State Bank of India (SBI), initiated loan recovery proceedings against him in an Indian court.
The Indian economic intelligence agency subsequently declared a "fugitive economic offender" via the Special Prevention of Money-Laundering Act of the Indian Parliament.