On Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs on advice of the Enforcement Directorate, decided to suspend the diplomatic passport of Vijay Mallya. The MEA has given the businessman one week's time to reply as to why his passport should not be revoked or impounded.
So will this put an end to the suspense and force Mallya to come back? Not really, as Mallya does have several options before him.
As things stand, Mallya’s diplomatic passport maybe revoked or impounded making him a persona non-grata.
Then India can recall him or United Kingdom can tell Mallya that he is unwelcome in the country and send him back.
These are the following options available to Mallya :
1. Fight the case legally, challenge the MEA's decision. He can challenge Indian investigating agencies and claim that there was no proof for many allegations.
2) Come back to India: After coming back to India, Mallya can choose to appear in person before the Supreme Court and reach an agreement with the banks on how he will repay his loans.
3) Seek citizenship of a foreign country: Like Lalit Modi, he can also take a citizenship like some little known country like Malta with whom India has no extradition treaties.
4) 'Indefinite Leave to remain in UK' status: After Lalit Modi’s passport was revoked in 2011, he obtained the ‘leave to remain in UK' status. According to an NDTV article, under British laws, such a person can stay on in the UK as a businessman, provided he invests at least 200,000 pounds in the country even after he becomes a persona non grata.