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Jet Airways case: Mumbai sessions court rejects ED’s plea for intervention
A sessions court on Thursday rejected the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) application to intervene in the case of cheating and criminal breach of trust registered
A sessions court on Thursday rejected the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) application to intervene in the case of cheating and criminal breach of trust registered against Jet Airways. This is the second time the agency’s plea to intervene has been rejected by the courts.
On September 19, the magistrate court had denied ED the permission to intervene after the agency opposed a report filed by Mata Ramabai Ambedkar (MRA) Marg police to close the case of cheating against Jet Airways, its promoters Naresh and Anita Goyal.
ED approached the sessions court on October 8, challenging the order on the grounds that the agency is probing money laundering allegations against the airlines and Goyals based on the case filed by MRA Marg police.
On Thursday, the sessions court upheld the observation that ED had no locus to intervene in the case and only a complainant can intervene. After rejection of the plea, ED sought a stay on the order in order to approach the high court. The court also refused to grant a stay.
MRA Marg police was probing a complaint filed by Rajendran Neruparambil, chief financial officer (CFO) of Akbar Travels of India Pvt Ltd (ATIPL), against Jet Airways and the Goyals. Neruparambil had alleged that during 2018-19, Jet Airways owed ATIPL payment of ₹46.05 crore. He further alleged Goyals had engaged ATIPL in business despite being aware of the financial crisis faced by Jet Airways, which shut down operations in April 2019 and has an accumulated debt of nearly ₹8,500 crore.
After conducting a probe, MRA Marg police filed a closure report in March, having found no evidence of the complainant being cheated; and sought closure on the ground that this was a civil case. ATIPL has filed a petition against the closure. ED also filed petitions against the closure report, saying the police had left out crucial facts.
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