Praful Patel deposes before CBI in aviation case

 Former Civil Aviation Minister and senior NCP leader Praful Patel deposed before the CBI on Thursday over his alleged links with lobbyist Deepak Talwar in a case related to favouring foreign private airlines at the cost of Air India.

Patel, who was the Civil Aviation Minister between 2004 and 2011 during the UPA regime, reached the CBI headquarters here.

Patel's name figures in a chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against aviation lobbyist Deepak Talwar.

Talwar allegedly was in touch with Patel during negotiations to favour foreign airlines which caused loss to the national carrier Air India.

The case pertains to purchase of 111 aircraft from Boeing and Airbus at a cost of Rs 70,000 crore, ceding of profitable routes and schedules to private airlines and opening of training institutes with foreign investment.

Talwar, now in judicial custody, was extradited to India from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in January this year.

Patel, who had been questioned by the ED earlier, has denied any wrongdoing on his part. IANS