CBI to investigate UPA-era aviation ministry decisions

the CBI director sanctioned the registration of a case on Saturday after it remained under the scanner since 2014.

The other two cases—the merger and surrendering of routes—are part of a larger probe into the mismanagement of the national air carrier whose losses increased from ₹63 crore to over ₹7,000 crore in the 10-year period between 2004 and 2014 coinciding with the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance rule.

The FIR only mentions “unnamed official of civil aviation ministry”. The auditor, which covered the 2002-2010 period in its review, had said in its 121-page report that Air India was forced to buy aircraft from Boeing in a hurry. It also detailed events that led to the company’s ambitious $11-billion purchase on a paltry equity base of $34 million.

A Boeing spokesperson declined to comment. Former civil aviation minister Praful Patel told Hindustan Times: “I am not aware of this. But if it is indeed true, I am happy. They should investigate and the truth must come out.”

The first two decisions—purchase of aircraft and the merger—were decided by an empowered group of ministers headed by P Chidambaram, the then finance minister, and Pranab Mukherjee, the then external affairs minister. Patel was part of the group as civil aviation minister.

The CAG report, however, pinned the responsibility on Patel’s ministry, “The erstwhile Air India was advised to revisit its proposal by “the aviation ministry” into expanding its requirement of aircraft. Whilst their earlier proposal for 28 aircraft had taken two years to prepare and submit, the revised long-term fleet for 50 aircraft plan was completed in four months,” the auditor had said.