MIAL sells Vijay Mallya's private jet, now being taken apart for scrap

United Breweries Group Chairman Vijay Mallya's private jet, which the liquor baron had to let go of in order to pay for dues accumulated by his grounded carrier Kingfisher Airlines, has been sold to be taken apart for scrap.

The 11-seater jet was auctioned for Rs 22 lakh by Mumbai International Airport Private Limited (MIAL) early this year to recover some amount of dues pending against Kingfisher Airlines. According to a Mid-Day report, Silent Enterprises, which bought the jet, is now planning to recover the amount it spent on it by selling various parts of the aircraft as scrap.

The Mumbai-based company released a work order on April 1 to take apart the jet, but the dismantling activity began only on April 6, the report added.

"We are currently dismantling the engine of the mid-sized jet, which is the most difficult part to dismantle. Though we have been working on the aircraft for eight days now, we will need at least four more days to complete the work. We expect to get 6.5 tonnes of scrap metal from the jet," the report quoted the supervisor overlooking the process as saying.

Workers involved in the job are putting in eight hours daily and are expected to complete it in the next four days.

Kingfisher Airlines was grounded in October 2012 after running up huge losses and failing to pay salaries to its employees, while its flying permit was cancelled in December that year.

After losing one of his prized possessions, Mallya faces the possibility of losing the Rs 100-crore worth Kingfisher House, which stands tall at Mumbai's Vile Parle.

A 17-member consortium led by the State Bank of India initiated the process of taking possession of the Kingfisher house in February this year, in a bid to recover the Rs 6,800 crore it had lent to grounded airline.