Last-minute cancellation

Unlike other ministries, the civil aviation ministry did not organise a press meet in May to mark two years of the National Democratic Alliance government. So when a press conference was announced on June 2, it offered journalists a rare opportunity to meet Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju, who is not seen at public events very often.

However, just 40 minutes before the conference was supposed to begin, it was cancelled. The buzz in the corridors of the ministry is that the conference was cancelled after some television journalists reached the ministry before time and asked Raju uncomfortable questions about his Officer on Special Duty Appa Rao.

Rao has been linked to Sanjay Bhandari, a defence dealer facing investigation. Civil aviation ministry officials were worried the controversy would overshadow the announcements that were to be made at the conference.