Praful Patel skips scheduled appearance before ED, called again next week

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, who was in-charge of the civil aviation ministry between 2004 and 2011, has not been mentioned as an accused in the case for which he was summoned

The ED summoned former civil aviation minister and NCP leader Praful Patel for questioning next week as he skipped his scheduled appearance before the agency on Thursday owing to some personal commitments, officials said.

They said Patel has been asked to join the probe either on June 10 or 11.

"Due to my prior commitments, I have requested the ED for another date," Patel told reporters.

Patel, 62, has been named in a recent charge sheet filed by the federal agency before a court as a person known to alleged aviation lobbyist Deepak Talwar, arrested by the ED sometime back.

The Nationalist Congress Party