New Delhi: Nationalist Congress Party leader Praful Patel has been let off in an alleged corruption case as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) concluded there was no "evidence of any wrongdoing". The case was registered in 2017 to probe the allegations of irregularities in leasing aircraft for Air India.
CBI has filed a closure report at a special court in Delhi. After going through the probe agency's findings, the court will decide whether to accept the report or continue the investigation.
Allegations had been made that under the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, a large number of Air India aircraft were leased which hit the airlines' finances severely. The charges claimed that Air India made huge losses after the move while private persons made pecuniary gains.
This leasing agreement was finalised by Ministry of Civil Aviation under the then minister Praful Patel and the National Aviation Corporation of India, a body formed after the merger of Air India and Indian Airlines.
The airlines began running at very low load due to large-scale acquisitions and a significant increase in the number of flights, the FIR had alleged. It also stated that when the leasing decision was made, some of Air India's international flights were running almost empty.
The CBI initially alleged that the decision was made "dishonestly," and the aircraft were leased even while an acquisition program was going on.
In July last year, Praful Patel was among the senior NCP leaders who broke away from the party supremo Sharad Pawar and joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party. The faction, led by Ajit Pawar, is currently part of the ruling alliance in Maharashtra along with BJP and Shiv Sena.
In 2017, the CBI registered a case to probe the allegations of irregularities after a Supreme Court order. Several officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Air India were put under scanner in the matter.
It was alleged that Mr Patel abused his position to lease a large number of aircraft for Air India, which was a public carrier at the time.
Air India, to allegedly benefit private parties, leased four Boeing 777s for five years in 2006, whereas it was to get the delivery of its aircraft from July 2007 onwards. As a result, five Boeing 777s and five Boeing 737s were kept idle on the ground at an estimated loss of Rs 840 crores during 2007-09.
The leasing decision was taken "in conspiracy with other unknown persons on extraneous considerations" that resulted in "pecuniary benefit" to private companies and consequent "loss to government exchequer," the FIR had alleged.