CBI drops corruption charges in case against GVK Group

Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday informed a special court that no government official was found to be involved in the corruption case registered against the GVK Group and others in connection with the operation and maintenance of Mumbai Airport as part of the joint venture called Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL)

Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday informed a special court that no government official was found to be involved in the corruption case registered against the GVK Group and others in connection with the operation and maintenance of Mumbai Airport as part of the joint venture called Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL). The CBI said that during investigation, no role of public servants had surfaced, and hence they would not be pressing charges.

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The special CBI judge, after accepting the submissions, said, “Upon perusal of the application, it appears that the applicant itself came up with the case that during investigation… no role of public servants was revealed. No doubt initially an FIR was registered for the offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Therefore, the FIR was forwarded to this court. However, due to subsequent development, it would be just and proper to remand the FIR along with papers to a court having competent jurisdiction.”

The court has now, after allowing the plea of the CBI, dropped corruption charges and transferred the case to the jurisdictional magistrate court to try the accused for the remaining charges of cheating.

The CBI had in July 2020 registered a case against Dr GVK Reddy, chairman of the GVK Group, MIAL and others for alleged irregularities worth ₹705 crore in the development of Mumbai Airport. MIAL is a joint venture between the Airports Authority of India (AAI), GVK and foreign entities.

AAI entered into an agreement in 2006 which stated that the revenue share had to be given first to it, and the balance earnings of MIAL were to be used for modernisation and upgradation, operation and maintenance. The essence of the agreement was to make the airport a world-class facility.

The CBI’s FIR alleged that the GVK group connived with family members, relatives and employees to give undue monetary advantage to them and to cause a corresponding unlawful loss to AAI. As part of the alleged conspiracy, they assigned the premium retail areas of Mumbai Airport to their family members at extremely low rates, thereby reducing the revenue of MIAL. The agency had claimed that the GVK Group even used MIAL funds by entering into agreements with a company owned by family members, relatives and employees to book train and air travel tickets and hotel bookings for themselves as well as group employees of GVK who were not connected to MIAL.