The New Delhi-based Economic Times said this was contained in the first information report (FIR), a police document on a possible offence, registered by India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
It claimed elaborate “presentations” were prepared by these lobbyists, chalking out “detailed strategies” to target senior officials who could influence the government on the policies related to international aviation.
It cited the FIR as saying that Fernandes and Lingam had “pressurised” then AirAsia India CEO Mittu Chandilya to pursue the matter regarding the change of the policies.
It was reported earlier this month that India’s agency on financial crimes, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), had launched a probe on the likelihood of a bribe amounting to US$1 million (RM4 million) in relation to AirAsia India.
It followed the ED’s questioning of Chandilya over the matter of alleged violation of rules for flying permits, the Times of India had reported.
Fernandes was also issued a “notice of appearance” over the Foreign Investment Promotion Board’s (FIPB) approval for AirAsia to invest in India and his alleged efforts to get the Indian government’s policy changed so that the company could start international operations there.
Under the policy, a domestic airline is allowed to fly overseas only after completing five years of domestic operations with a fleet of at least 20 aircraft.
The investigating agencies were also examining whether the approvals were given to AirAsia arbitrarily and in violation of the rules framed by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB).
On May 29, AirAsia had denied the accusations. “AirAsia India Ltd (AAIL) refutes any wrongdoing and is cooperating with all regulators and agencies to present the correct facts,” the company had said.
“In November 2016, AAIL initiated criminal charges against its ex-CEO and had also commenced civil proceedings in Bengaluru for such irregularities,” it added.
Economic Times also said CBI was alleging that AirAsia was indirectly controlled and operated by Malaysia-based AirAsia Group, and particularly AirAsia Bhd, thereby violating the rules that mandated local control.
“The arrangement was formalised on April 17, 2013, indirectly making AirAsia India a ‘de-facto subsidiary rather than a joint venture’,” the report said.
The news report also cited people with knowledge of the matter as claiming that Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu’s 2016 audit of AirAsia India had also come under the scrutiny of Indian investigating agencies.
It said Deloitte had last week handed over to the agencies hard disks and relevant information pertaining to the audit.
The audit had also implicated Chandilya in the matter. Chandilya however has denied the allegations against him and alleged that he was being falsely implicated, it said.
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