New Delhi, Sep 12: Hours after fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya claimed that he met Arun Jaitley before leaving the country, Congress president Rahul Gandhi demanded Finance Minsiter's resignation. Rahul Gandhi also asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to order an independent probe into the "extremely serious" allegations made by Vijay Mallya.

"Given Vijay Mallya's extremely serious allegations in London today, the PM should immediately order an independent probe into the matter. Arun Jaitley should step down as Finance Minister while this probe is underway," Gandhi tweeted. Speaking to reporters outside a local court in London, Mallya that he met the Jaitley before leaving India and offered to settle with the banks. Vijay Mallya Extradition Case: UK Court to Pronounce Verdict on December 10.

"I had a scheduled meeting in Geneva. I met the Finance Minister before I left... repeated my offer to settle with the banks. That is the truth," he told reporters. Jaitley, however, rubbished Mallya's statement, saying he never gave him an appointment since 2014 but the liquor baron misused his position as Rajya Sabha MP to accost him in Parliament.

"Since 2014, I have never given him any appointment to meet me and the question of his having met me does not arise," Jaitley said in a statement. After Jaitley's rebuttal, Mallya clarified that there was no formal meeting with the finance minister. The accused in a multi-crore bank loan fraud case, however,  maintained that he told Jaitley that he was going to leave for London.

"I happened to meet Mr Jaitley in Parliament and told him that I am leaving for London... I did not have any formal meetings scheduled with him," Mallya told reporters later. Mallya's statement has triggered a political storm. The Congress said Mallya's claimed meeting with Jaitley could not have been a "passing, casual, walking meeting" in Parliament.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 12, 2018 10:55 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).