CBI asked for status report on Air India aircraft purchase
A three-judge Supreme Court bench asked the investigating agency to return with a status report or memo within two weeks
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to inform it of the status of a probe conducted into the purchase or hire of over 100 aircraft by Air India in 2007, which, according to a non-profit organization, caused huge losses to the state-owned airline.
A three-judge bench of justices H.L. Dattu, R.K. Agrawal and Arun Mishra asked the CBI to return with a status report or memo within two weeks.
Lawyer Prashant Bhushan, representing not-for-profit Centre for Public Interest Litigation (PIL), had claimed that Air India “gave away bilateral rights to private companies" and nearly Rs50,000 crore worth of aircraft were ordered. He said issues that needed to be investigated included the leasing of aircraft and the issue
of bilateral rights being transferred to other companies.
“What is the CBI doing? They’re only saying that they’re looking at the acquisition of Indian Airlines by Air India. Have you looked at the assertions (made by Bhushan)," Chief Justice Dattu asked.
The apex court had first issued notice to the government and the airline in 2012.
CPIL had sought a CBI or special investigation team probe the alleged irregularities. The plea had alleged that various decisions taken during the tenure of Praful Patel were meant to benefit private airlines and had caused huge losses to Air India.
PTI contributed to this story.
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