Trouble seems to be mounting for former civil aviation minister and Praful who has been asked to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning on June 6 in the Deepak Talwar aviation deals case. The ED had earlier alleged that corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar was in regular touch with former aviation minister Praful Patel while acting as a middleman in negotiations to favour foreign private airlines, causing losses to national carrier Air India. ED sources said Praful Patel needs to be put through revelations made by arrested aviation lobbyist Deepak Talwar and evidence unearthed by the agency in pursuit of this case filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Meanwhile, on being summoned, Praful Patel said he will be happy to cooperate with the ED so that it understands the “complexities” of the aviation industry. “I will be happy to cooperate with ED for their understanding of the complexities of the aviation industry,” Praful Patel told PTI over the phone. In May, the Enforcement Directorate had revealed that NCP leader Praful Patel was under its investigation in connection with the case against aviation lobbyist Deepak Talwar. The agency also said that Deepak Talwar was a ‘dear friend’ of Praful Patel. ED was in possession of email communications of Deepak Talwar mentioning Praful Patel which implicates the former aviation minister. The agency, in its chargesheet against Deepak Talwar and his son Aditya Talwar, had also named Praful Patel. A non-bailable warrant was issued against Aditya Talwar. Investigation in Airline Seat Allotment Scam was initiated by ED in August 2017 on the basis of FIR registered by CBI against officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, NACIL, Air India and unknown private persons. To avoid scrutiny, Deepak Talwar had fled the country. However, he was deported by the immigration authority of Dubai on January 31 this year and was subsequently arrested by ED. “Investigation revealed that Deepak Talwar has been engaged in liasoning and lobbying with politicians, ministers (Praful Patel and another civil aviation minister, other public servants and officials of Ministry of Civil Aviation for Emirates, Air Arabia and Qatar for securing undue benefits for them. He illegally managed to secure favourable traffic rights for these airlines during 2008-09 at the cost of the national carrier, Air India,” an ED officer had said. According to ED, investigation had also revealed that in lieu of securing favourable traffic rights, these airlines made payments to the tune of Rs 272 crore to Deepak Talwar during 2008-09.
