The founder and former chairman of India’s grounded Jet Airways has been stopped from leaving India by officials who suspected him of fleeing the country.
Naresh Goyal and his wife were taken off a flight that had already left the gate at Mumbai Airport en route for Dubai. They were attempting to travel to London via the UAE.
The move was prompted by a ‘lookout circular’ issued to prevent key executives at the airline leaving the country.
The Serious Fraud Investigation office and the Enforcement Directorate have reportedly begun an investigation into Jet Airway’s financial dealings.
A ministry of home affairs confirmed the Goyals were on a watch list stopping them from fleeing the country.
Somehow, they had cleared immigration checks without any issues but the aircraft was ordered back to the gate.
The Goyals were seated in first class when they were pulled from the flight.
The airline said in a statement: "Emirates is cooperating fully with the relevant authorities and we abide by the laws of the various countries we operate in."
Authorities are keen not to repeat the mistakes involving another Indian airline tycoon, Vijay Mallya, who is in London fighting extradition after being charged with money laundering linked to the collapse of Kingfisher Airlines six years ago.
Mallya was allowed to leave the country at the time.
The Goyals stepped down from the Jet Airways board in March.
The beleaguered airline is still no nearer finding an investor to allow it to resume services.
It has more than $1.2 billion debts and thousands of workers are still owed several months’ salaries.
