Goyal: New trouble?

New Delhi, June 23: A day after the home ministry gave Jet Airways chief Naresh Goyal the security clearance he would have needed for the Sahara buyout, the NDA accused the government of favouring the man with “dubious links” and demanded his immediate arrest.

Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav, while questioning the government’s decision today, claimed that Goyal’s “dubious links” had been reported by intelligence agencies during NDA rule.

To support his claim, Yadav circulated copies of a purported home ministry report during NDA rule that said Goyal had underworld links.

The Sahara buyout deal fell through this week after Jet Airways wanted a relook at the asking price. Also, regulatory formalities had not been completed before June 21 deadline to close the deal.

One hitch for Jet was that security agencies had failed to give Goyal the clearance. Till this came through, regulatory approvals for the buyout could not be given by the director-general of civil aviation.

While giving the clearance yesterday, the home ministry had said that nothing adverse was found against Goyal after inquiries conducted by security agencies.

Today, when Yadav was asked why he kept mum all the while as civil aviation minister, allowing Goyal to run the airline, the Dal (U) leader said an inquiry was on when the NDA was in power.

The BJP too alleged that the government was “favouring” Jet Airways. Questioning the timing of the clearance, its spokesperson Prakash Javdekar said the government deliberately withheld permission till the Jet-Sahara contract had lapsed.

“Normally, we do not comment on corporate deals. But the manner in which the government has given security clearance to Jet just a day after the lapse of the deal gives the impression that the government was trying to influence this deal to favour Jet,” he said.