CBI lodges cases to probe Indian Airline-Air India merger; purchase of 111 airplanes

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today registered three FIRs and a preliminary enquiry to probe alleged irregularities in Indian Airlines-Air India merger (IA-AI) and purchase of 111 aircraft, leasing of planes and giving up of profit-making routes by Air India, causing a loss of thousands of crore of rupees.

The CBI spokesperson R K Gaur said the FIRs have been registered for offences of criminal conspiracy and corruption against unidentified officials of the civil aviation ministry and Air India.

The cases relate to decisions taken by the ministry during the tenure of the UPA causing a loss of "tens of thousands of crore" of rupees to the exchequer, he said.

A preliminary inquiry was registered to probe the merger of Indian Airlines and Air India that also led to a loss of "tens of thousands of crore" of rupees, Gaur said.

A set of three FIRs has been lodged to probe alleged irregularities in the purchase of 111 aircraft, leasing of planes while acquisition process was still on, and giving up on profitable routes in favour of national and international airlines by Air India, the spokesperson said.