Mallya to continue to represent India in FIA

Mallya has been chased by Indian authorities over allegations of non-payment of loans to the tune of $1 billion, including interest. He has also been accused of diverting some of the loans given to Kingfisher Airlines to offshore accounts.

More recently, he was arrested and subsequently granted bail by London’s Metropolitan Police as part of an extradition process initiated by the UK on the request of the Indian government.

However, despite the controversy surrounding the liquor baron, India’s motorsport governing body, the FMSCI, has decided to retain his position as India’s representative in the FIA.

FMSCI is compelled to keep Mallya in his position until his tenure expires, as an early retraction will end the governing body’s own representation in the FIA till the start of the new term.

"Mallya was nominated from the FMSCI as its delegate to the general body of the FIA four years back and Mallya was elected by FIA general body as one of its board members. His term ends in October 2017," FMSCI President Akbar Ebrahim said.

"Any representative person in the FIA and who has stood for elections and who is serving as a board member, if by any reason his nomination is retracted, the concerned federation loses its representation for the remaining term.

He added: “The issue that is being discussed is that we seek clarification on if Mallya does not continue to represent FMSCI in FIA, will FMSCI lose its representation in world motor sport council and will it be on temporary or permanent basis?

“We need to know this from FIA. Once we have clarity on this, we will take a decision," he added.

Mallya has been residing in the UK since March, 2016 and is unable to travel elsewhere after his passport was revoked.

He was last seen publicly in India at FMSCI’s annual award ceremony in New Delhi in February, 2016.