Around the world in just Rs 1 lakh

Mumbai: The recent findings of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the corruption charges heaped on Manoj Malviya, one of the top aviation officials reveal how the bureaucrat used his clout to get freebies around the globe, courtesy the airlines he was supposed to watch over.
The CBI booked Malviya, additional commissioner (security), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), in May earlier this year for misuse of power.
The babu allegedly flew to top-notch tourist spots around the world with his wife and three kids and stayed in five-star hotels (see box) paying virtually nothing.
MiD DAY, with exclusive access to the CBI documents, found that Malviya's trips were supposedly for security checks of airlines, part of his job.
But he was on an official leave when he travelled on the 40 tickets, for him and his family, which would normally cost around Rs 71 lakh.
The aviation watchdog, though, paid not more than a lakh and a few thousands as tax on the tickets. The rest of the amount was waived off.
Add to that the leisure stay that the Malviyas paid zilch for. The family's average stay on every jaunt was five to seven days.
Malviya visited US, UK, Spain, Dubai, Canada, among others, on business class tickets without paying a single penny to the airlines, on the sheer strength of his position.
20/10/10 Bipin Kumar Singh/MiD DAY

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Oct 2010