Former Air India director named in FIR for stealing artwork

Courtesy: Rohita Jaidka Linkedin

New Delhi: A former Air India (AI) Executive Director, Rohita Jaidka, has been named in a First Information Report (FIR) for stealing an artwork, an AI spokesperson said. "AI filed the FIR and further course of action to be taken by the police as deemed fit," the spokesperson told IANS. A senior Delhi Police officer confirmed that a FIR was registered on November 11 about the stolen artwork, after AI made a police complaint. Jaidka had retired from AI more than 10 years ago. The stolen artwork is a painting by eminent artist Jatin Das, which was a part of Air India's collection. Earlier this year, Das told then Air India's Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani that one of his paintings was available in the black market. The airline used to lend out artwork of its vast collection to top executives with the rider the same be returned back to the company up on retirement. After receiving Das' complaint, an internal committee of Air India in July started preparing a list of former employees who were suspected of siphoning-off artwork. After this, the painting was returned to the airline via a courier addressed to Lohani but with no details of the sender.