Aviation scam: SC issues notice to Aditya Talwar, stays

proceedings in HC

On Monday, the Supreme Court issued notice to Aditya Talwar, Deepak Talwar's son, who is
named in the multi-crore civil aviation scam in which Air India reportedly experienced
enormous losses, and remained in Delhi High Court proceedings that permitted him to be
represented through a lawyer.

A Bench led by India's Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi decided that the matter is urgent with
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Enforcement Directorate (ED). On July 23,
the court mentioned the case for argument and final disposal.

Mr. Mehta said that in unraveling the scam, Aditya was a vital connection. The order of the
High Court on May 31 to exempt him from private appearance before the Special Judge and
allow him to be represented by a lawyer would further delay the advancement of the inquiry
under the Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The ED said the trial court originally issued a non-bailable warrant against Aditya, thought to
have obtained the citizenship of Antiguan, but whose precise location remained unknown.
Only after a lawyer eventually began to represent him in the case, the warrants were
cancelled. The PMLA court subsequently enacted an order directing him to appear in
individual in response to an ED request to declare him a Fugitive Economic Offender.

Mr. Mehta said that any leniency now shown would delay the progress of the case. This
would be a breach of the January 5, 2017 apex court's own order to investigate the case as
soon as possible. Probe in the case disclosed that the bilateral meetings between India and
the UAE / Qatar resulted in incorrect losses to Air India and significant gains to UAE / Qatar
airlines. Notwithstanding the opinions of the Indian airline and the DGCA (Directorate
General of Civil Aviation), undue traffic rights were granted.