Aviation scam: CBI files charge sheet against corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a charge sheet against corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar in connection with a scam which allegedly led to massive losses for Air India.The CBI has placed its final report before a special judge against Talwar who was deported from Dubai in January this year.It has also mentioned others besides Talwar for the offense, which is punishable...
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a charge sheet against corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar in connection with a scam which allegedly led to massive losses for Air India.
The CBI has placed its final report before a special judge against Talwar who was deported from Dubai in January this year.
It has also mentioned others besides Talwar for the offense, which is punishable under Section 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, besides other offenses.
Incidentally, Section 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act deals with illegal gratification to influence public servants.
The CBI charge sheet has named Talwar’s close aide Yasmeen Kapoor, Maya B Puri, Stone Travel Private Limited, Cedar Travels, Deepak Talwar & Associates as well as Asia Field Limited.
The court is likely to consider the matter on October 1.
It may be recalled that the CBI had on July 26 taken Talwar into custody on July 26, after the judge dismissed his anticipatory bail application. Consequently, he was sent to judicial custody on August 9.
Allegedly, Talwar had acted as a middleman during talks and made Air India give up its profit making routes as well as timings, in order to favor foreign private airlines like Qatar Airways, Emirates and Air Arabia.
Earlier, the CBI had told the court that it had to find out the names of officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, National Aviation Company of India Ltd and Air India, who had allegedly favored the foreign airlines.
Allegedly, these officials conspired with other public servants, private domestic and foreign airlines, made Air India give up profit making routes as well as timings to favor private national and foreign airlines, which resulted in losses for Air India.
In a related development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has alleged that in lieu of the above misdeeds, entities directly or indirectly controlled by Talwar have received exorbitant amounts from Qatar Airways, Emirates and Air Arabia, which were laundered.