The mansion on a skyscraper…whose owner will probably never set foot in it: The mega-house was built 400 feet into the sky in India
- The replica of the White House was built atop the Kingfisher Towers in Bangalore
A mansion on the roof of a skyscraper in the Indian city of Bangalore has attracted attention not only for its unusual aesthetics and lavish design, but also because the owner of the megahouse is unlikely to set foot inside it.
Standing at 400 feet tall, the two-story replica of the White House was built atop the Kingfisher Towers and spans 40,000 square feet.
The $20 million mansion stands on a huge cantilevered slab on the roof of the skyscraper in the luxury retail and office building UB City and was built on a 4.5-acre site that was once the owner’s ancestral home.
Vijay Mallya, the son of United Breweries Group founder Vittal Mallay, left India in March 2016 as lenders and investigators pursued him after he allegedly borrowed huge sums of money and never returned any of it.
Mallya, 67, has been fighting the charges ever since and India is trying to extradite him from Britain.
Standing at 400 feet tall, the two-story replica of the White House was built atop the Kingfisher Towers and spans 40,000 square feet. The mansion stands on a huge cantilevered slab on the roof of the skyscraper of the luxury retail and office space UB City
The mansion was supposed to have a wine cellar, a heated indoor pool and an outdoor infinity pool, as well as a rooftop helipad, among other amenities, but the finished product has remained shrouded in mystery since Mallya announced plans to build the dream home in 2010.
The 34-story skyscraper houses around 81 apartments in three blocks.
It was developed as an extension of UB City, which was developed under a joint development agreement between United Breweries Holdings Ltd (UBHL) and Prestige Estates Projects Ltd. was built. UBHL owns 55 percent and the developer owns the remaining 45 percent.
In July last year, Mallya was sentenced to four months in prison for contempt of court.
The tycoon, whose empire included a Formula One motorsports team, an Indian Premier League cricket franchise, breweries, distilleries and an airline, was fined 2,000 rupees (about £21) for cheating $40 million had transferred to his children, which violated court orders.
The 34-story skyscraper houses around 81 apartments in three blocks. The mansion was intended to feature a wine cellar, a heated indoor and outdoor infinity pool, and a rooftop helipad, among other amenities, but the finished product remains shrouded in mystery
Mallya fled to Britain amid allegations that he siphoned off millions from $1.4 billion in loans to Kingfisher Airlines to buy property and finance his ostentatious lifestyle rather than using it to strengthen the airline.
He was granted conditional bail following his arrest in March 2017.
In 2020, his efforts to avoid extradition ended when his final appeal to the High Court was dismissed, although he has remained in the UK since then.
In August, in response to a question about the extradition of Mallya and Nirav Modi, another Indian billionaire wanted in India on money laundering and fraud charges, Security Minister Tom Stimmehat said the UK had no intention of becoming a place where could hide those who want to escape justice.
Tugendhat said the British government was committed to extraditing fugitives to face justice and was working closely with the Indian government on the Mallya and Modi cases.
He said the UK would not allow its legal system to be used to protect criminals.
Mallya announced plans to build the dream home in 2010. The skyscraper on which it stands was developed as an extension of UB City, which was developed under a joint development agreement between United Breweries Holdings Ltd (UBHL) and Prestige Estates Projects Lt. was built