The Indian Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) ordered its investigative arm to launch an urgent probe into alleged irregularities at Jet Airways (Mumbai International) and its subsidiaries, including JetLite (Delhi International) and Jet Privilege, The Economic Times has reported.
The Serious Fraud Investigation Office will follow up on an earlier report submitted by the ministry's unit which identified suspected malpractices, mismanagement, siphoning and diversion of funds, and possibly other financial irregularities.
The SFIO has been given six months to complete the investigation and has already summoned Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita, the airline founders and promoters, for a questioning.
The SFIO probe is another major investigation into Jet Airways after the tax authorities and the Ministry of Finance Enforcement Directorate have launched their own probes.
The Goyals have been banned from leaving India for the time being after the MCA issued a circular to that effect in May 2019.
Jet Airways is currently in the process of being liquidated through the National Company Law Tribunal, having stopped all operations in mid-April 2019.
