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HC seeks govt's reply on Mascarenhas's suspension

The Bombay high court on Wednesday directed the Centre to file an affidavit by June 20 detailing the powers of the civil aviation ministry with regard to managing the affairs of the Air-India.

The court adjourned the petition challenging the suspension of Air-India managing director M P Mascarenhas to July 3. Justice Ajit Shah and Justice Sharad Bobde also directed former acting chief vigilance officer of the airline M B Sagar to explain in an affidavit how his inquiry report was allegedly leaked to the press.

Mascarenhas filed a petition in the Bombay high court challenging his suspension on 'trumped up charges of excess payments of productivity-linked incentive to London-based general sales agent Welcome Travels'.

He has challenged the procedures employed by the ministry to suspend him and claimed that A-I had followed established procedures and precedents in granting productivity-linked incentive to the London-based sales agent.

Mascarenhas also denied the charge of paying excess incentives to the London agent and alleged that accusations were 'concocted and trumped up'.

The decision was taken collectively and was not an individual one, he claimed.

Mascarenhas has also alleged in the petition that the ministry interfered in day-to-day functioning of the airline and issued instructions and directions even for promotions abroad and transfers which were outside its domain.

The inquiry held by acting chief vigilance officer was illegal, void, malafide and held at the behest of the ministry, he alleged.

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