The CBI has booked Arvind Jadhav, former Air India chairman-cum-managing director (CMD), and other senior officials of the national carrier in connection with alleged exchange of bribes to promote officials to the general manager rank despite cases pending against them.

Among those named in the FIR are Jadhav, L.P. Nakhwa, then general manager (medical services), and three former additional general managers (operations) — A. Kathpalia, Captain Amitabh Singh and Captain Rohit Bhasin. Jadhav and Nakhwa have retired.

According to the FIR, Jadhav had “shown undue favour to Nakhwa by promoting her against the rules, including (putting) her name in the selection panel and also entering into a criminal conspiracy with other unknown officers of Air India to favour three selected GMs i.e. A. Kathpalia, Captain Amitabh Singh and Captain Rohit Bhasin”.

The agency alleged that Jadhav had constituted an “illegal” promotion panel to recommend candidates for promotions to the post of general manager (operations) during 2009-10. The panel had recommended five persons, including Kathpalia, Singh and Bhasin, the officials said. Kathpalia had a criminal case pending against him but was allegedly given vigilance clearance, the FIR said.

The CBI alleged that complaints were also pending against Singh and Bhasin, but still they were promoted.