CBI clears Air India-Indian Airlines merger; Raut demands apology from BJP

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut asked the BJP to apologise to former prime minister Manmohan Singh after the CBI filed a closure report in its Air India-Indian Airlines merger case.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a closure report in its probe into the alleged irregularities in the leasing of aircraft by NACIL, a company formed by the merger of Air India and Indian Airlines during the UPA era, as there was no “evidence of any wrongdoing”, officials said Thursday.

NCP leader Praful Patel was the Union civil aviation minister in the earlier Congress-led United Progress Alliance (UPA) government when the leasing was done. Talking to reporters, Raut said the BJP had made a hue and cry over alleged corruption in the civil aviation sector during Manmohan Singh’s tenure as PM. “The BJP must apologise to Dr Singh,” he said.

The National Aviation Corporation of India Limited (NACIL) was formed after the merger of Air India and Indian Airlines. The CBI has alleged that the decision was made

“dishonestly”, and the aircraft were leased even while an acquisition programme was going on.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 the government exchequer.”