After a four-month-long inquiry, the Government on Thursday gave a clean chit to Jet Airways chief Naresh Goyal, saying that from the security angle nothing adverse was found against him.
Goyal's clearance by the Union Home Ministry came on a reference made by the Civil Aviation Ministry to it in February this year in the wake of a deal then by Jet Airways to acquire Air Sahara.
"Inquiries were conducted by various security agencies about the antecedents of Goyal and from the security angle nothing adverse was found against him," a senior official said.
The Home Ministry had earlier given clearance to four of the five new directors who were to form part of the Air Sahara board and only the case of Goyal was pending. Jet Airways was given security clearance to operate in the country in 2004.
The official made it clear that the Government's security clearance to Goyal had nothing to do with developments in the Jet-Sahara deal, which has run into rough weather. The Home Ministry's report on Goyal has been conveyed to Civil Aviation authorities, he said.
Observing that it was mandatory for the Civil Aviation Ministry to seek security clearance in case a new airline was to begin operations or a new board or a new company was coming into being, the official said in this particular case, a group of five new directors were to be inducted in the Air Sahara board.
{{/usCountry}}Observing that it was mandatory for the Civil Aviation Ministry to seek security clearance in case a new airline was to begin operations or a new board or a new company was coming into being, the official said in this particular case, a group of five new directors were to be inducted in the Air Sahara board.
{{/usCountry}}"The input available with the security agencies and inquiries made with regard to Goyal's antecedents, financial irregularities and other security issues do not being rude indicate anything adverse against him," the official said, adding that "therefore, there was no justification to deny him security clearance."