ED seizes cash, property documents after raids against Atiq Ahmad's aides
New Delhi (PTI): Documents related to sale and purchase of properties, Rs 17.80 lakh worth cash and some other material were seized after fresh raids this week against some "renowned" builders, CAs and others linked to slain gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said on Saturday.
The searches were carried out on June 14-15 at 10 premises in Prayagraj, Lucknow and Delhi, the agency said in a statement.
Various aides and associates of late Atiq Ahmad including "renowned" builders and chartered accountants were covered during the action which led to the seizure of Rs 17.80 lakh cash, documents related to sale and purchase of properties, financial documents of companies, bank statements, mobile phones and laptops, it said.
Physical and forensic analysis of seized evidences are ongoing, the agency said.
The money laundering case against Ahmad and his aides stems from a CBI FIR filed on the directions of the Supreme Court to probe allegations of kidnapping, extortion and assault against the mafia-turned-politician and his men.
"Atiq Ahmad was a history-sheeter and ran a mafia gang that is involved in various crimes of serious nature from a long time. Around 100 FIRs of crimes related to murder, extortion, land grabbing etc. were lodged against him in various police stations.
"It was found during probe that by indulging in criminal activities since 1989 and by usurping government and other people's land properties, Atiq Ahmad amassed huge property in his name and that of his family members and also in the name of his associates and other benamidars (in whose name a benami property is standing)," the ED said.
The ED had first conducted searches in this case on April 12-13 leading to seizure of Rs 84.68 lakh cash, gold bars worth Rs 60 lakh, gold and diamond jewellery of Rs 2.85 crore, digital devices and various physical documents and records.
Ahmad and his brother Ashraf were shot dead at point-blank range by three men posing as journalists on April 15 when police personnel were escorting them to a medical college in Prayagraj for a checkup.
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Noida International Airport appoints Nitu Samra as interim CEO
New Delhi (PTI): Noida International Airport on Friday announced the appointment of its Chief Financial Officer Nitu Samra as the interim Chief Executive Officer after authorities denied permission for foreign national Christoph Schnellmann to be at the helm.
"This change follows directions issued by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) that the Chief Executive Officer of an airport in India is required to be an Indian national," NIA said in a statement.
Samra will replace Schnellmann, a Swiss national who has led Noida International Airport (NIA) as the CEO since August 2020.
The regulatory issue related to the requirement of having an Indian national as CEO has been delaying the start of commercial operations of the airport, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 28.
Schnellmann will join the airport's Board of Directors as Executive Vice Chairman. In this role, he will continue to support the project and its transition to operations, the statement said.
With immediate effect, NIA said Samra has been appointed as the CEO on an interim basis until the Board of Directors can conclude a formal selection process.
Samra has been serving as the CFO since October 2021 and was closely involved in the airport’s development journey, overseeing financial stewardship, governance, and strategic planning during a key phase of the project, the statement added.
NIA will be operated by Yamuna International Airport Pvt Ltd (YIAPL), a subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG, under a public-private partnership.
Originally scheduled to commence passenger services in September 2024, NIA is being developed in four phases, along with a dedicated cargo terminal. It received an aerodrome license from the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in March.
YIAPL Chairman Daniel Bircher said that since the inauguration of the airport by the Prime Minister, the goal was to enable the start of operations as early as possible.
"This management change brings the airport into compliance with Bureau of Civil Aviation Security requirements while maintaining continuity in the airport’s leadership team. The newly structured team will support a smooth transition into operations, guided by clear and transparent governance and a strong corporate culture," he said.
On March 28, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said commercial flight operations from the airport would start in the next 45 to 60 days.
Among the largest greenfield airport projects in the country, NIA will initially have a capacity to handle 12 million passengers per annum.
Once fully developed, the airport will have a total passenger handling capacity of 70 million.
The first phase of NIA has been developed at an investment of around Rs 11,200 crore. 'DXN' is the code for the airport.
The airport features a 3,900-metre runway capable of handling wide-body aircraft, along with modern navigation systems, including Instrument Landing System (ILS) and advanced airfield lighting.
The peak handling capacity in the first phase will be 30 flights per hour.
In the first phase, there will be 28 aircraft stands, and the projected cargo capacity is around 2.5 lakh tonnes.
Terminal 1 of the airport is spread across 1,37,985 square metres with 48 check-in counters. Over 40 acres of land have been earmarked for developing MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) facilities at the airport.
