ED Diagnoses An ‘Air-Borne Disease’; Finds ‘Money Laundering’ In UPA Merger Of Air India, Indian Airlines 

The UPA government’s decision to merge Air India and Indian Airlines has been nothing less than a controversy. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has found some irregularities in the deal and there have been charges of money laundering as well. Hence, cases have been registered.

Two cases have been filed under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The other two relate to how the government allowed private players to take benefit of domestic and international routes by sidelining the profitable routes of the two national carriers. Cases are based on Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) four FIRs filed earlier, The Asian Age has reported.

Documents relating to the case are in possession of the ED and have been termed ‘politically sensitive’. Officials will soon be summoned for questioning. The four FIRs that the CBI has filed are against unidentified individuals on the charges of criminal conspiracy, corruption and cheating. The individuals belong to Air India and the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The UPA government had purchased 111 aircraft at a cost of Rs 70,000 crore, which is a huge loss to the exchequer, according to the CBI. Future of these national airlines had been put at stake to allow certain private players to make profits.