Praful Patel skips ED summons; called again next week

June 06, 2019 19:29

The Enforcement Directorate summoned former civil aviation minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Praful Patel for questioning next week as he skipped his scheduled appearance before the agency on Thursday owing to some personal commitments, officials said.

They said Patel has been asked to join the probe either on June 10 or 11.

"Due to my prior commitments, I have requested the ED for another date," Patel told reporters.

Patel, 62, has been named in a recent charge sheet filed by the federal agency before a court as a person known to alleged aviation lobbyist Deepak Talwar, arrested by the ED sometime back.

The NCP leader, who was in-charge of the civil aviation ministry between 2004 and 2011, has not been mentioned as an accused in the case.

Sources told PTI that the ED had already questioned a number of people in the senior management of the state-owned airline and the aviation ministry.

Patel was expected to be quizzed about the statements and revelations made by Talwar, they added.

The statement of Patel, a Rajya Sabha MP, will be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The four-time MP from the Bhandara-Gondia Lok Sabha seat in Maharashtra had earlier told PTI that he would be happy to cooperate with the ED for their understanding of the complexities of the aviation industry. -- PTI

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