SC demands responses from centre over petition seeking probe

SC demands responses from centre over petition seeking probeIndia's apex court, the Supreme Court of India has asked for responses on the demands for a probe into the functioning of the civil aviation ministry during 2004-2008 that could reveal more details relating to the Air India scam.

The Supreme Court has asked the Centre, the CBI and the Central Vigilance Commission to file their responses on a petition seeking the investigation by either the CBI or a special investigation team (SIT). The petition was earlier submitted to the Delhi High Court but it was not accepted.

A bench of Justices H L Dattu and C K Prasad has demanded responses from the agencies after hearing that the probe was not ordered by the HC even after finding out that the state-run aviation is not in good shape. The NGO, Centre for Public Interest Litigation is seeking either a CBI probe or an SIT investigation into the Air India scam.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the NGO, said that there are four charges against the ministry including purchase of 111 aircraft for Rs 70,000 crore benefitting international manufacturers, costly leasing of aircrafts, rights being given to foreign airlines without return benefits to Air India and giving up of profitable routes for private airlines.