Delhi: Special court issues non-bailable warrant against ex-Airbus official

A special court on Friday issued an open-ended non-bailable warrant against Kiran Rao, an ex-Airbus official, in a money laundering case related to the purchase of 43 aircraft by Air India in 2005.

An Open-ended non-bailable warrant doesn't have an execution time limit.

Special Judge Santosh Snehi Mann presided over the hearing which took place in Delhi's Rouse Avenue court complex.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) claimed Rao, former senior Airbus official, deliberately evaded summons and was deliberately not joining the probe related to the purchase made in 2005.

Rao was formerly Senior Vice-President (Pricing & Marketing), Airbus Industries. ED claims negotiations with Airbus caused losses to Indian Airlines.

ED's counsel Nitesh Rana informed the special judge that British-national Rao was avoiding summons "deliberately and knowingly" and did not appear for investigation.

The former Airbus official currently stays in the UK.

Corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar is also being tried in the same case by the ED.

ED's counsel had earlier told the court that investigation revealed that Deepak Talwar, who is currently lodged in Tihar jail, obtained "undue favours" for private airlines using his contacts.

It was also alleged that he had acted as a middleman to favour foreign private airlines in seat-sharing on Air India's profitable routes, causing huge loss to the national carrier.

Central agencies are probing various other cases related to money laundering against Deepak Talwar. He was arrested after being deported from the United Arab Emirates on January 30.