GMR Group under CBI lens

This could be yet another scam tumbling out of the UPA regime. The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered a preliminary enquiry into the handing over of the Delhi International Airport to the GMR Group. Top sources in the agency have confirmed to ET Now that CBI has begun a preliminary probe into the process of privatization of the Delhi Airport in 2006.

The main allegation is "gross misconduct of officials in the Airport Authority of India and Ministry of Civil Aviation in granting a land parcel of 190 acres to the GMR Group led Delhi International Airport Ltd or DIAL" explains sources in CBI. The agency alleges that this land parcel was given at a "nominal price as compared to the prevailing market price at that time".

In 2006, the Government of India handed over the Delhi and Mumbai airports to private companies, namely, GMR & GVK respectively, for modernization and operation under a revenue sharing agreement. Praful Patel was the Civil Aviation Minister during this process of handing over.

As far as Delhi is concerned, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) was formed, by the GMR Group in association with the Airport Authority of India, called Delhi International Airport Limited or DIAL. And subsequently the 190 acres of land around the Indira Gandhi International Airport was granted to this SPV.

CBI in its investigation will have probe the role of officials in AAI, Civil Aviation Ministry and GMR Group-led DIAL.