CBI Gives Clean-Chit To Praful Patel In Corruption Case; TMC MP Reacts (image:.facebook.com/ShriPrafulPatel)
Citing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) giving clean chit to Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) leader Praful Patel, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale remarked that Prime Minister Modi”s “washing machine” was exposed again.
As Lok Sabha elections are around the corner, the investigation agency closed a 2017 corruption case involving Praful Patel. The CBI”s closure report came eight months after Praful Patel along with Ajit Pawar faction“s other party members joined the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). In March 2024, the CBI has submitted the closure report before the competent court.
The case was in connection with the alleged irregularities in the leasing of aircraft by National Aviation Corporation of India Ltd. (NACIL). A public sector undertaking, NACIL was formed after the merger of Air India and Indian Airlines.
As per the allegations, then minister of civil aviation, Praful Patel has abused his power in scheme with officials of Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), Air India and private parties to lease large number of aircraft for the then public airline Air India. Besides, the allegation added that the aircraft were leased even when aircraft acquisition programme was going on for Air India, The Wire reports.
Following the orders from the Supreme Court in 2017, CBI has started the investigation and after seven years the agency closed the case. Recently, the special judge, Prashant Kumar has issued a notice to the probe agency to consider filing the case by April 15, 2024.
Saket Gokhale in the social media post wrote: “While Central Agencies like CBI & ED are hounding Opposition leaders everyday during the election period, cases against a man who allied with Modi get dropped magically.”
𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗶”𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻. 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁.
8 weeks after joining the NDA, CBI has closed the ₹840 crore corruption case against Praful Patel.
While Central Agencies like CBI & ED are hounding Opposition… pic.twitter.com/wGjmnNv8RA
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) March 29, 2024
“This is what happens in tinpot dictatorships & not in a real democracy,” he added.
