New Delhi: Former Civil Aviation Minister and NCP leader Praful Patel today appeared before the ED in connection with a money laundering probe related to losses suffered by Air India as part of an alleged multi-crore aviation scam, officials said.
Patel appeared before the agency around 10:30 am here, they said.
His statement will be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and he is expected to face a series of questions.
The case emerges from a criminal complaint registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for alleged irregularities in fixing air slots for international airlines that purportedly led to losses for Air India, the national aviation carrier.
Patel, 62, has also 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 Nationalist Congress Party (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 had 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, a Rajya Sabha MP, was expected to be quizzed about the statements and revelations made by Talwar, officials said.
The ED charge sheet in the case named Talwar and claimed he was in regular touch with Patel. It has alleged that Talwar finalised various communications addressed to Patel on behalf of Emirates and Air Arabia.