The Hindu : `Govt. not pursuing vintage aircraft case'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 01, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

`Govt. not pursuing vintage aircraft case'

By Our Special Correspondent

GULBARGA March 31. The senior Janata Dal (S) leader, S.K. Kanta, on Monday, accused the Government of not pursuing the case of illegal exchange of an antique fighter aircraft used by the Germans in World War II between the Hyderabad-Karnataka Education Society and a Bangalore-based private collector, Girish Naidu. He said attempts were being made to close the case to save the prime accused, B.G. Jawali, former MP and President of the society.

At a press conference here, Mr. Kanta said the police were not making honest attempts to nab Mr. Naidu even after the local court had cancelled his anticipatory bail in February. The court which granted anticipatory bail had asked Mr. Naidu to surrender before the investigating officer on February 2 and present sureties. Mr. Naidu sought two months' time to surrender on the plea that he had met with an accident in Jaipur and confined to bed. The court rejected this application, stating that there was no basis to believe the claims of Mr. Naidu.

Mr. Kanta reiterated his demand for handing over the investigation to the CBI. A writ petition would be filed in the Karnataka High Court shortly seeking a direction to the Government to entrust the case to the CBI to prevent Mr. Naidu from selling the priceless aircraft to private collectors in the West.

The exchange of the vintage Messerschmitt BF109E-1 lightweight diesel-engine aircraft for an old Morris Minor car, an antique motorcycle, an aircraft of foreign make assembled in India with engine, avionics, wheels, and other control surfaces, but in non-flying condition, and an antique bicycle had generated a lot of heat. After Mr Kanta raised the issue, the local police filed a criminal case against Dr. Jawali and 13 members of the governing council of the society. All the accused are out on bail.

The British had gifted the aircraft to the Nizam and he displayed it in the Public Garden in the city before the then President of the society, Mahadevappa Rampure, persuaded the Government to shift it to campus of PDA Engineering College to help engineering students use it as a study model. The society had refused to entertain a request by the Air Marshal of the Indian Air Force Training Centre in Bidar, P.J. Master, for handing over the vintage aircraft to the centre. The World War II archives obtained by Mr. Kanta states that the aircraft crashed in November 1940 near Lower Hardres in the U.K.

According to Mr. Kanta, the Germans, with an intention to make the aircraft super lightweight, had used light materials such as costly platinum on its body.

He expressed apprehension that the aircraft would be dismantled for the precious platinum.

He wanted the Government to take possession of the vintage aircraft immediately.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

Oppn. slams Govt. on admissions, fee

Implementation of VAT postponed

Develop team spirit, Moily tells students

Chaos in TMC meet over restaurant licence

`Swadeshi Mela' from April 10

Life hit as traders observe bandh

`Govt. not pursuing vintage aircraft case'

Trade and business bandh total

JD(S), AIJD resume talks on merger