Ex-Air India CMD booked for forming illegal promotion panel

The CBI has registered a case against former Air India Chairman-cum-Managing Director Arvind Jadhav for constituting an "illegal" promotion panel to name candidates to be promoted to the post of General Manager (Operations) for "pecuniary advantage" during 2009-10 by violating prevailing rules, the agency said on Wednesday.

Besides Jadhav, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) also registered an FIR on Tuesday against then General Manager (Medical Services) L.P. Nakhwa (now retired), and then Additional General Managers A. Kathpalia, Amitabh Singh and Rohit Bhasin.

They have been booked on charges of criminal conspiracy, abuse of official position and under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.

The CBI had registered a preliminary inquiry into the case on April 11, 2018 against Jadhav and others.

According to the FIR, it was alleged that the panel selected officers for the post of General Manager (Operations) even though certain criminal cases or complaints were pending against them.

The panel's recommendation was to fill up four existing and one anticipated vacancy.

"It was alleged that Arvind Jadhav had constituted an illegal/ irregular promotion panel to recommend suitable candidates for promotion to the post of General Manager (Operations). Although L.P. Nakhwa was not eligible to be on the panel, Jadhav nominated her against the prevailing rules and procedure.

"Appointment of Nakhwa as Executive Director was irregular and illegal. As per para 2.2 of promotion policy and procedure dated June 15, 1998 of Air India, the promotion of an officer to the grade of Executive Director requires the constitution of promotion panel consisting of at least three members... The inquiry revealed that no such procedure was followed by Jadhav," read the CBI FIR.

It said that Air India also did not obtain any prior approval in this regard from the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

"In view of the facts and circumstances, Jadhav abused his official position while holding the post as a public servant by showing undue favour to Nakhwa by promoting her against the rules, including her name in the selection panel and also entering into criminal conspiracy with other unknown officers of Air India to favour three other selected persons through which these members were able to get pecuniary advantage," the FIR added.

--IANS

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