CBI Audio Tape With Air Asia CEO’s ‘Voice’ Puts Chandrababu In Spot

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Chandrababu Naidu and former Union Minister for Civil Aviation, P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju are allegedly at the core of a conversation which is reported to have taken place between top honchos of the Malaysia-based international airline, AirAsia. This time around, as is being alleged, it's a conversation about him between AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes and its India CEO, Mittu Chandilya. In a development which could prove embarrassing to Chandrababu Naidu, the top executives had allegedly discussed that they “can get everything”, if they are nice to the AP CM. The audio tape is reportedly with the CBI.

It may be recalled that Tony Fernandes had recently been booked in a case of alleged bribery. The CBI, in its FIR, has alleged that Tony Fernandes and others acted in violation of FDI norms and had given bribes to certain civil aviation ministry officials. The FIR further alleges that this was done to secure international operations licence during 2015-16 for AirAsia India Limited. Incidentally, Ashok Gajapathi Raju of TDP, was the minister at that time.

Meanwhile, AirAsia has denied all the allegations related to the issue and the voices on the audio tape in question, could not be independently verified.