The CBI has booked former Air India Chairman-cum-Managing Director Arvind Jadhav for allegedly constituting an illegal panel for making senior appointments and transfers.
Along with Jadhav, the CBI has also named then Executive Director (Personnel) LP Nakhwa (now retired) and former Additional General Mangers (Operations) A Kathpalia, Amitabh Singh and Rohit Bhasin in its FIR registered under IPC section related to criminal conspiracy and provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act pertaining to abuse of official position.
The FIR alleged that Jadhav had constituted a panel in 2010 to promote officers to the rank of General Manager (operations) in violation of laid down procedures.
The three-member panel included then Chief Operating Officer Gustav Baldauf, then Executive Director (operations) A Soman and former Executive Director (Personnel) LP Nakhwa, the FIR said.
Nakhwa, who was General Manager (Medical Service), was given the rank of Executive Director (Medical Services) after the post was upgraded as a temporary measure till August 31, 2009.
It is alleged that Nakhwa was to be reverted to the post of General Manager (Medical Services) from September 1, 2009, but she continued in her position as Executive Director in clear violation of the Civil Aviation Ministry’s directive dated March 6, 2009.
The CBI inquiry also found that Jadhav regularised Nakhwa in the post of Executive Director (Medical Services) with effect from April 1, 2010 without following the due procedure, the FIR said.
The Civil Aviation Ministry had annulled and reversed the irregular appointment of Nakhwa as Executive Director (Medical services).
A human resources sub-committee of the Board of Air India in an order dated September 8, 2010 reverted Nakhwa to the post of General Manager (Medical services) with immediate effect.
“Therefore, the promotion panel so constituted by Arvind Jadhav...For selecting suitable candidates for promotions to the post of GM (operations) should have been re-constituted in the wake of reversion of Nakhwa from Executive Director(Medical services) to the rank of General Manager,” it said. The CBI also alleged that Nakhwa was not eligible for being a member of the said promotion panel but Jadhav nominated her against the prevailing rules and procedure.