http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1855832.cms
Not just booze stolen from A-I One
[ 5 Aug, 2006 0316hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
 
 
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NEW DELHI: The state-owned Maharaja seems to have a knack of getting into embarrassing situations with the PM on board.

Just weeks after grounding its crew over charges of scotch pilferage, the airline is now investigating a fresh graft involving the alleged disappearance of $24,000 (over Rs 10 lakh) worth of gifts like iPods, cameras and Mont Blanc pens from another Air India One flight.

Sources pointed out that the gifts were purchased in New York for distribution among the entourage on board PM's flight.

"The gifts were purchased but were not given away, or the distribution has not been accounted for. Since there are allegations that these gifts were stolen, the airline is investigating the matter," a source said.

Sources said the airline's chief vigilance officer is probing into the charges of theft of gifts from the aircraft, and a report would be submitted soon.

This comes just weeks after Air India had faced flak over allegations of security breach on board PM's flight when the security seal of a cabinet was broken and six bottles of scotch whisky stolen.

The airline has since grounded all 14 employees on the flight from undertaking any VVIP flights.

The flag carrier blamed its service engineer for the theft, saying its enquiry has revealed that "this person is believed, in all probability, to have committed the pilferage".

http://www.mumbaimirror.com/nmirror/mmpaper.asp?sectid=4&articleid=85200622623734852006226415

Capt Scotch named in A-I gift scam too

Capt Beri, grounded for breach of security on PM's flight, bought gifts for delegates

Sanjiv Kumar

New Delhi: Close on the heels of expose on security breach in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's special aircraft involving pilferage of scotch bottles, it has come to light that gifts worth thousands of dollars bought by Air-India for delegates accompanying the prime minister have been missing.

While the pilferage, reported first by Mumbai Mirror on July 11, took place in April this year, the disappearance of high-end gifts relate to two earlier trips of the prime minister to the United Nations and the US.

Mumbai Mirror has accessed the documentary proof of missing gifts, which included Mont Blanc, Parker and Cross pens, iPods, sun glasses, Kodak camera, Casio keyboards, Levis trousers, Samsonite suitcases, expensive perfumes, woolen and Cashmere suitings, silk ties among others, bought by the A-I to gift to the delegates accompanying Singh on his trip to the UN in 2004, and again when he visited the US in September 2005.

The documents with Mumbai Mirror point out that Captain N K Beri, who was the commercial head of PM's VVIP flight on the trip to US dated July 17-20, 2005, drew $13,000 to buy the expensive giveaways. During the PM's previous visit to the UN, Captain Beri had taken about $12,000 for purchasing giveaways for the delegates.

Notably, Beri was resident director (Delhi region) in A-I till recently and was grounded after his name figured in scotch pilferage case. Though he was not removed from the post, another person was put in place pending an inquiry.

An inter-office memo of the Air-India says that Captain Beri received the cash from the airline's regional director in charge of US and Canada under instruction from A-I's Chairman and Managing Director V Thulasidas.

The memo reads: "As per expenditure approved by CMD, we have bought giveaway items for VVIP delegation as per bills of $7,145 to Moon Time and $4,572 to Sam and Raj, as authorised by HQ." The memo is signed by Captain Beri.

But the Prime Minister's Office says it did not authorise Air-India to give these gifts to the delegates. "I have no idea about anybody giving and receiving these gifts. Please ask Air-India who these gifts were given to," PM's media adviser Sanjay Baru told Mumbai Mirror.

All expenses on PM's special flights, including the cost of chartering aircraft from Air-India and expenses on the delegates accompanying him, are borne by the PMO.

It is not clear who were the final recipients of these gifts and whether they ever reached the delegates who they were meant for. The Air-India chairman, who, according to the documents with this Daily, authorised purchase and distribution of these gifts did not come on line, despite repeated calls on his mobile.