An Ahmedabad sessions court has rejected the anticipatory bail plea of former CEO of Gujarat State Aviation Infrastructure (Gujsail), Capt Ajay Chauhan, in a bribery case lodged against him and two others by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in June.
Chauhan has claimed innocence in the case. His lawyer said Chauhan was in a foreign country, but went after informing the investigating agency and thus could not be called an absconder.
He further said when he earned from private companies, he was not working for the state government and had also remained present before the investigator thrice.
The prosecutor opposed Chauhan’s plea and argued that he misused his position as a government servant and used the aircraft meant for VIP movement, for his personal use. He said Chauhan had brought his family members from Mumbai to Ahmedabad in the aircraft, causing a loss of Rs 72 lakh to the government exchequer. During his contract with Gujsail, he provided services to private companies and earned from them. He also drew Rs 2.16 crore as flying allowance even though he received a salary from Gujsail, the lawyer submitted.
The prosecutor highlighted that despite knowing that he was prohibited from providing flying services to other companies while employed at Gujsail, Chauhan willfully provided such services to Kasmc Aviation Pvt. Ltd., receiving illicit financial benefits in his personal bank account. Chauhan claimed his income was not hidden and for this, there was no need for his custodial interrogation.
After an inquiry, the chief security officer and general manager of Gujsail lodged a complaint on June 12 with the ACB against Chauhan, currently suspended, Alpesh Tripathi, director of Kasmc Aviation Pvt. Ltd, and Alpesh Prajapati, accountant with Gujsail.
After hearing the arguments, additional sessions judge SL Thakkar rejected Chauhan’s anticipatory bail plea and observed that it cannot be overlooked that he left the country while the investigation was pending. He had remained present before the investigator but the offence was not registered then.
Chauhan was posted as director of civil aviation in April 2004 and held the position for 18 years. He was appointed CEO of Gujsail in January 2010 and served in that role for over 13 years. In 2022, widespread corruption charges were levelled against him, leading to a departmental inquiry.
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