ED grills Praful Patel in aviation scam case

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday questioned former civil aviation minister and NCP leader Praful Patel, for the second consecutive day in connection with a money laundering probe related to losses suffered by Air India as part of an alleged multi-crore aviation scam.

Sources said Patel appeared before the agency at its headquarters here in Khan Market around 10 am and left at around 7.45 pm. He was with the investigating officer of the case for over nine hours, including the time spent on lunch and other breaks, they added. On Monday, he was questioned by the agency for about eight hours.

The investigating officer of the case recorded Patel's statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) over two days and the former Union cabinet minister of the UPA government is understood to have “co-operated” with the agency. The Rajya Sabha MP is expected to have more such sessions.

The case emerges from a criminal complaint registered by the ED for the alleged irregularities in fixing air slots for international airlines that purportedly led to losses for Air India, the national carrier. Patel has also been named in a recent chargesheet filed by the federal agency before a court, as a person known to the alleged aviation lobbyist Deepak Talwar.