Ex Indian Airlines CMD flagged Praful Patel's favour to rivals in June 2005

Concerns raised on grant of seat entitlements and points of call to foreign airlines as early as 2005 ignored

Even as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) began questioning former Union minister of civil aviation Praful Patel in connection with the disproportionate granting of seat entitlements and points of call to certain foreign airlines, a letter dated June 2005 reviewed by Business Standard shows that the same concerns had been raised by the then chairman and managing director (CMD) of Indian Airlines with the then Cabinet secretary.

However, it is unclear what action the Cabinet secretariat took on the matter as the practice continued unabated for another 9-10 years. 

This despite the fact that the letter by someone as senior as the CMD