A day after audio tapes containing purported conversation between AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes and airline’s India former CEO Mittu Chandilya were out, Andhra Pradesh Planning Board Vice-Chairman C. Kutumba Rao said on Tuesday he would reveal details of the “biggest scam in the country”. Warning the BJP leaders, Mr. Rao alleged that a corporate group “which is close” to Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “received undue benefits from the Central government”.
At a press conference here, Mr. Rao did not divulge many details but cautioned the BJP leaders that he would file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on the issue.
(Top executives of AirAsia, Malaysia-based international airline, had allegedly discussed that if they were good to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu they “can get everything”.
The alleged conversation recorded in the audio tapes are said to be in the possession of the CBI, which booked Mr. Fernandes in a bribery case).
“It is an attempt to tarnish the image of the Chief Minister and former Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju. I don’t understand what this cheap publicity and cheap allegations are about?” said Mr. Rao.
Seeking to know whether tapping of phones of citizens was allowed, Mr. Rao wondered how these tapes had surfaced. “It means the government is tapping lakhs of phones. The country is heading towards totalitarian state,” he felt.
Also, there were no attributions relating to bribe. The decisions taken by Mr. Gajapati Raju were approved by Mr. Modi’s Cabinet. Does it mean that entire Cabinet, including Mr. Modi, took bribe to accord permission? he asked.
When pointed out that the State government was also close to the Corporate group which he was referring to, Mr. Rao quipped, “We are not close to anyone.”
Recalling that he had challenged BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao for an open meeting between the State and the Central government officials on utilisation certificates (UCs), Mr. Kutumba Rao reiterated that the BJP leader should accept the challenge.
