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AirAsia India graft case: CBI summons high ranking director
India’s Central Bureau of Investigation has summoned AirAsia India director R Ramachandran Venkataramanan to answer questions over alleged corruption.
The agency recently quizzed chief financial officer Deepak Mahendra and calls have been made for Malaysia based AirAsia group CEO Tony Fernandes to face questioning.
The CBI has called Venkataramanan to answer questions on July 3.
It follows allegations of a criminal conspiracy to bribe unnamed government officials via paid lobbyists to fast track approval to start international operations.
The CBI raided the offices of AirAsia India in May and several lobbyists have already been interviewed by CBI officers.
It filed a complaint against Fernandes alleging AirAsia India was set up as an effective subsidiary of the main AirAsia Group business rather than as a standalone joint venture.
AirAsia India was supposedly set up as a JV between AirAsia Group and Indian firm Tata.
"It was further alleged that the Foreign Investment Promotion Board norms were violated by said air group by giving effective management control to a foreign entity by making it a de-facto subsidiary indirectly rather than a joint venture," the CBI stated.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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