The Central Bureau of Investigation has summoned AirAsia Chief Executive Officer Tony Fernandes for questioning on Wednesday for allegedly violating civil aviation norms, ANI reported on Friday.
The agency has already questioned the director of Singapore-based HNR Trading, Rajendra Dubey, who, along with Fernandes, is among those accused of trying to manipulate government policies to get international flying licences for AirAsia India.
This comes a day after Enforcement Directorate registered a case of money laundering against unidentified AirAsia officials, ANI reported. The agency was expected to file a case on Friday, naming Fernandes, AirAsia India’s Non-Executive Director R Venkataramanan and a few former executives, The Economic Times reported.
The CBI registered a case against Fernandes, Venkataraman and other officials on Tuesday. Two former ministers of the United Progressive Alliance government, who have not been identified, helped the airline get an international licence and Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearances, the CBI alleged in its First Information Report. The agency also claimed that a meeting took place between a senior executive of the airline and a lobbyist in December 2014.
The ED has already registered a case against AirAsia India under the Foreign Exchange Management Act for carrying out fraudulent transactions worth Rs 22 crore. It registered the case after Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy filed a complaint.
Zulfiqar Memon, a lawyer representing AirAsia and Venkataramanan, told The Economic Times that he was not aware of the latest charges filed by the Enforcement Directorate, and would take “appropriate steps” if and when it is filed.
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