Praful Patel expected to depose before ED in PMLA case on Thursday

Former civil aviation minister and NCP leader Praful Patel is expected to depose before the ED on Thursday in connection with a money-laundering probe related to the losses suffered by national carrier Air India as part of an alleged multi-crore-rupee aviation scam.

Patel (62) has also been named in a recent chargesheet filed by the federal agency before a court as a person known to alleged aviation lobbyist Deepak Talwar.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, who was in charge of the civil aviation ministry between 2004 and 2011, has not been mentioned as an accused in the case.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), sources said, had already questioned a number of people in the senior management of the state-owned airline and the aviation ministry.