ED files money-laundering case against Air Asia, execs

After the CBI, the ED has now registered a criminal case of money-laundering against Air Asia officials and others for allegedly trying to manipulate government policies through corrupt means to get international licence for its Indian venture Air Asia India, officials said on Thursday.

The central probe agency, they said, has pressed sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to probe if alleged tainted funds were used to create illegal assets and it has taken cognisance of the CBI FIR to lodge its own case.

They added that the accused in its FIR, known as the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), are same as those in the complaint of the CBI.

The agency, they said, will go into the money trail of the accused and the entire deal and a joint probe by the two agencies is expected to henceforth go forward in the case.

The agency's office in Mumbai has been probing a separate case against the airline and its executives under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

This probe in the case, registered last year, was initiated on the basis of the claims of ousted Tata Group chairman Cyrus Mistry's allegation that fraudulent transactions of Rs 22 crore, involving non-existent entities in India and Singapore, were carried out in an instance involving the airline.

The CBI had booked Group CEO of Air Asia Tony Fernandes, Tharumalingam Kanagalingam also known as Bo Lingam, former Deputy Group CEO of Malaysia-based Air Asia Berhad, and R Venkataramanan, Director Air Asia India Ltd, Bengaluru, besides companies Air Asia India Pvt Ltd and Air Asia Berhad.

The allegation pertains to Air Asia officials and others allegedly trying to manipulate government policies through corrupt means to get international licence for its Indian venture Air Asia India Limited.

The CBI case has been registered under 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and sections 13(2) read with 13 (1) (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.