Planet Swans ArchivesMaybe there is an irony that it is 12 months today since the deal was completed to hand over the majority stake of the club to Steven Kaplan and Jason Levien. A move that has been well publicised was done behind the backs of the supporters and the fallout for that still rumbles on as the Trust membership ponder whether there is legal action to be taken.
But this morning we see sight in the Indian Press that VJ Mallya – described as the “disgraced former chairman of United Spirits” – wants to buy the Swans for £110m.
Mallya already has the Force India Formula 1 team and the Royal Challengers Bangalore cricket team in his sporting portfolio and is now allegedly interested in adding Wales only Premier League side to that.
Mallya has been declared a “wilful defaulter” by Indian Courts on top of being found in contempt of the Supremer Court for failing to make a full disclosure of his assets.
He is also contesting an extradition from Britain to India after fleeing here in March 2016 where the centre of the case is debts of £1.1bn and interest that Indian banks claim they are owed by Mallya.
It goes on when you consider that India’s legal authorities have now delivered to the Crown Prosecution Service details of the charges against Mallya. They include laundering some £150m through various shell companies in India, Ireland, the US, France and the Seychelles.
Mallya denies all the charges all charges against him and claims they are politically motivated. One of his arguments is that Indian jails are substandard compared with European institutions and thus, as he will be imprisoned to await trial immediately he sets foot in India, he will be caused undue suffering.
I think it is fair to say that the best we can hope for this one is that there is no truth in the rumours and they have just been set up to make Messrs Kaplan and Levien look like saints in comparison…!
