The Delhi High Court has recently asked the Central Bureau of Investigation to file an affidavit regarding the removal of a helicopter from Safdarjung Airport.
A single-judge bench of the High Court presided over by Justice Prathiba M. Singh also directed that a senior CBI officer shall also be present on the next date of hearing.
“A senior officer, who is conducting the proceedings with respect to the aforementioned case, shall also join the proceedings before this Court on the next date of hearing,” said the bench while placing the matter for further hearing on February 23.
The directions were passed on February 12 while the bench was hearing a petition filed by the Airport Authority of India (AAI) seeking removal of a helicopter, which is a case property of CBI, citing security reasons. AAI in its plea has sought directions for the removal or the said helicopter perched at Safdarjung Airport immediately on an urgent basis.
“Safdarjung Airport is a high-security zone and the land at which this helicopter is perched has been handed over to the National Security Council Secretariat which requires the same for defence purpose to meet any contingencies in the Central, East and North Delhi Area and hence the said helicopter needs to be removed immediately on an urgent basis,”
-the plea said.
The plea also sought directions from the court to ask the CBI to pay the license fee with effect from May 26, 2004 to December 31, 2020 or allow AAI to auction the said helicopter.
– By India Legal Bureau