CBI's explanation as to why Vijay Mallya wasn't arrested

After Congress President Rahul Gandhi in a press conference on Thursday said that "the lookout notice to restrain Mallya was diluted, the CBI sources have explained as to why Vijay Mallya wasn't arrested. It also added that there is "no immediate need to respond to Rahul Gandhi’s allegations".

As per sources, here's the full chronology of events:

•   November 2015: Bureau of Immigration calls CBI to inquire whether Vijay Mallya should be arrested since a lookout circular was issued against him. As per sources say that it was an informal call that was made a day before Mallya's was to return to India.
• Mallya flies to London twice after his November trip
• December 2015: CBI questioned Vijay Mallya thrice after he returned from London
• CBI essentially conveyed to the Bureau of Immigration that there was no need to arrest Mallya since he was cooperating with the agency 
• As per sources, during the first two trips, Mallya had informed the agency about his business meetings, however, CBI was not informed about the last trip after which he never returned 

A massive controversy has broken out over Vijay Mallya's claim that he had met Jaitley before fleeing India for London. On Thursday, Congress President Rahul Gandhi held a news conference in New Delhi on Thursday aiming to corner Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over the statement Vijay Mallya had made in London -- regarding meeting Jaitley before fleeing from India --despite Mallya's subsequent u-turn denying that it had been a formal meeting.

While addressing the news briefing along with PL Punia and Randeep Surjewala, Rahl Gandhi said:

"In government, the PM decides everything. And the FM listens to the PM. Let Arun Jaitley say whether he let a criminal escape or whether the order came from above. It can't be a coincidence. FM has admitted that Mallya told him he's going to London. And yet, FM took no action, didn't inform agencies? Why? What was the reason? What was the deal? There's a notice to restrain Mallya. Why is the notice changed to inform, not restrain? Only PM and FM could have. FM is lying. The meeting was held, logistics of Mallya leaving were discussed. Mallya was given free passage to run away. Why did you let him run away? Why didn't you stop him?".

Read: Despite Vijay Mallya's Sensational U-turn, Rahul Gandhi Says He Has Proof Of Arun Jaitley-Mallya Meeting

During the press briefing, Congress President Rahul Gandhi put out two questions to the BJP:

"1. How can the Finance Minister have a meeting with an absconder? Why did FM of the time not inform ED, CBI and Police that Mallya was going to leave for London?

2. The restrain notice against Mallya -- who made it an inform notice? Only the person who can control the CBI can do this. If Jaitley did this, then he should say, and if the order came from above, he should say". 

Immediately after the Congress press briefing, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy took to Twitter and put out 'two undeniable facts' in the matter related to absconding liquor baron Vijay Mallya's case: