Slot allocation scam: Praful Patel grilled for over 9 hours on Day 2

ANI
11 Jun 2019, 22:48 GMT+10

New Delhi (India), Jun 11 (ANI): Former Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel on Tuesday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) here for the second consecutive day in connection with the multi-crore airline slot allocation scam case. He was questioned for over nine hours on Tuesday.

The NCP leader is being questioned for his alleged involvement in awarding favourable air traffic rights to foreign airlines that caused losses to national carrier Air India.

He has been asked to appear before ED tomorrow also.

On Monday, Patel was questioned for nearly eight hours by the ED. He refused to answer media queries on what transpired at the probe office.

The name of Patel, who was the civil aviation minister between 2004 and 2011, surfaced in a charge sheet filed by the ED against corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar on March 30.

The agency had in its charge sheet said that Talwar, who is currently in judicial custody, allegedly acted as a middleman to favour foreign private airlines. It also said that Talwar was in regular touch with the former Aviation Minister.

"Talwar finalised various communications on behalf of Emirates and Air Arabia to be addressed to the then Minister of Civil Aviation Praful Patel," Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) DP Singh, appearing for the agency, had told Special CBI Judge Anuradha Shukla Bhardwaj on May 1.

Talwar, who was extradited from Dubai on January 30, allegedly received payments to the tune of Rs 272 crore during 2008-09 from these international airlines in lieu of securing favourable traffic rights. (ANI)

Watch latest videos

News RELEASES

Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to International Travel News.

More Information

null in null

Business

Section

Bitcoin soars to a record on Trump policies, institutional demand

NEW YORK CITY, New York: Bitcoin surged to a new all-time high this week, buoyed by growing institutional interest and a wave of pro-crypto...

Huawei eyes new buyers for AI chips amid U.S. export curbs

SHENZHEN, China: As global chip competition intensifies, Huawei Technologies is exploring new markets in the Middle East and Southeast...

U.S. food prices at risk as Brazil tariff hits key imports

LONDON/NEW YORK CITY: American grocery bills may be headed higher as coffee and orange juice prices face upward pressure from new tariffs...

WK Kellogg sold to Ferrero as food giants chase shelf power

BATTLE CREEK, Michigan: In a major consolidation of iconic food brands, WK Kellogg has agreed to be acquired by the owner of Ferrero...

Filmmaker joins biotech effort to bring back extinct giant bird

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Filmmaker Peter Jackson's lifelong fascination with the extinct giant New Zealand flightless bird called the moa...

India seeks WTO nod for retaliatory tariffs on US

NEW DELHI, India: India has submitted a revised proposal to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva to implement retaliatory tariffs...

Travel and Tourism

Section

Travelers can now keep shoes on at TSA checkpoints

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Travelers at U.S. airports will no longer need to remove their shoes during security screenings, Department of Homeland...

UAE: CM Mohan Yadav attends 'Madhya Pradesh Business Investment Forum' Program

Dubai [UAE], July 14 (ANI): Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav attended the 'Madhya Pradesh Business Investment Forum Program'...

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launches capacity-building initiatives worth Rs 276 Crore at Visakhapatnam Port

New Delhi [India], July 14 (ANI): Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal launched multiple Capacity Building...

Logistics, supply chain infrastructure, foreign investment feature as key avenues of discussion during MP CM Yadav's UAE visit

Dubai [UAE], July 14 (ANI): Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav held wideranging interactions with industry experts for bringing...

DGCA asks airlines to conduct fuel switch inspections on Boeing aircraft by July 21

By Shafali Nigam New Delhi [India], July 14 (ANI): India's civil aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)...

Jordanian ancient Petra city suffers tourism setback amid regional instability

AMMAN, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The ancient city of Petra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Jordan's most iconic archaeological attraction,...