CBI grills middleman in AirAsia case, summons Tony Fernandes

The Central Bureau of Investigation questioned the director of Singapore-based HNR Pte Ltd on Friday and has summoned AirAsia Chief Executive Officer Tony Fernandes for questioning on June 6 for allegedly bribing officials for tweaking civil aviation norms.

The agency has already questioned the director HNR Pte Ltd Rajendra Dubey, who, along with Fernandes, is among those accused of trying to manipulate government policies to get international flying licences for AirAsia India.

The agency alleged that the accused Dubey received Rs 12 crores kickbacks from AirAsia for lobbying and tweaking civil aviation norms.

It is alleged that Dubey have played the role of a liaison agent and was instrumental in seeking government appointments for AirAsia India Limited. He was known to the senior leadership at Air Asia since at least 2013. Dubey was in direct touch with Tharumalingam Kanagalingam, Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer of AirAsia in October 2013. Dubey was also associated with ECS Cargo and RRT Services – both entities that were vendors to AirAsia India Limited.

Sources said that both Air Asia India Limited and Air Asia, Berhad Malaysia chief were in touch with Dubey, who also acted as middleman for them to enter into Indian market and get necessary approvals and even changing government policies.

In the meantime, CBI, through email, has asked Fernandes to come and record his statement before the investigators at the agency's headquarters in Delhi.

In the criminal case filed by the agency on Monday, some "unknown public servants" of the Civil Aviation Ministry and the then Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB), along with R. Venkataramanan, Director, AirAsia India, and T. Kanagalingam, Deputy CEO, AirAsia Group have been named.

"We are planning to issues separate notices to other accused persons named in the FIR after scrutinising all the documents," a CBI official said.

Also, Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a money laundering case against the AirAsia officials and others for allegedly trying to manipulate government policies through corrupt means to get international licence for its Indian venture AirAsia India Limited.

ED has pressed sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to probe if alleged tainted funds were used to create illegal assets and it has taken cognisance of the FIR lodged by CBI .

The accused in its FIR, known as the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), are same as those in the complaint of the CBI.