The board of Tata Sons on Tuesday expressed its confidence in R Venkataramanan its nominee director on the board of AirAsia India Ltd (AAIL), who is facing CBI’s charges of impropriety.

“The board expressed satisfaction that AAIL was co-operating fully with agencies investigating this matter. The board is aware that prior audits and forensic reports were initiated by AAIL on some of the issues being currently investigated and based on such reports there have been no findings of any wrongdoing on the part of its nominee director — R Venkataramanan,” said a statement from Tata Sons.

Earlier, Tata Trusts had also issued a statement supporting Venkataramanan. Last week, Tata Trusts said that the ongoing investigations on matters relating to AirAsia have no bearing on its affairs. The trustees also extend their continued support for R Venkataramanan, one of the key executives named in an FIR filed by the CBI.

“The Trustees categorically reiterated that the reported investigations have nothing whatsoever to do with the affairs of any of the Tata Trusts and noted that papers and documents relating to the Trusts were neither seen nor called for by the investigators.

“The office of R Venkataramanan, in his capacity as a Non-Executive Director and a nominee of Tata Sons on the Board of AirAsia India Ltd, in the Trust office premises, was visited by the authorities and clarifications sought on some papers relating to AirAsia India, some of which were taken by the authorities,” said a statement issued by Tata Trusts.

The CBI last month named Tony Fernandes, Group CEO at AirAsia, and R Venkataramanan in an FIR. It stated that public servants from the Civil Aviation Ministry and FIPB entered into a criminal conspiracy with Venkataramanan, Fernandes, and AirAsia India executives Tharumalingam Kanalingam and Rajendra Dubey with the intent to help AirAsia lndia expedite approvals and changes in aviation policies to suit the airline.

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