In a major development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal on Friday in connection with a money laundering case.
According to sources, Goyal was arrested about 10 pm on Friday following a continuous interrogation in connection with a Rs 538 crore loss to Canara Bank. He was produced before the PMLA court in Mumbai.
The ED case is based on an FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in May this year. On May 5, CBI officers conducted searches at seven locations in Mumbai, including Goyal’s residence and offices.
The CBI FIR said that a written complaint filed on November 11 last year alleged cheating, criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, and criminal misconduct by the Jet Airways founder.
The complaint, signed by P. Santosh, Chief General Manager, Canara Bank, also mentioned Anita Naresh Goyal, Gaurang Ananda Shetty, unknown public servants, and others, causing a wrongful loss of Rs 538.62 crore to the bank.
In April 2019, Jet Airways suspended its operations due to a severe cash crunch and mounting debt. The airline once used to be India’s largest private carrier.
The sources clarified that the CBI searches were not conducted at the premises linked to the new owners of Jet Airways.
