The police is reported to have alerted the state government that the managing director of Kairali Airlines, a low-cost private sector airlines set to start operations from November 1, is an accused in several counterfeit currency cases.
K K Praveen Kumar, MD, Kairali Airlines is an accused in three counterfeit currency cases. The first case against Praveen was registered in Thrissur in 2000, in connection with the seizure of counterfeit currency notes from his residence. The second case was registered in 2001 when the police seized currency with a face value of `4.5 Lakh. The third case was registered at Malakkapoara police station in Thrissur the same year.
Of the three cases registered, Praveen was acquitted in the first by the High Court, although he was sentenced to seven years imprisonment by the trial court. In the second case, his appeal against the punishment awarded by the lower court is pending before the High Court while trial in the third case is yet to begin at the Fast Track court, Thrissur
The police report recommends that Praveen Kumar not be promoted at the government level for starting the operations of the company.
When contacted Praveen Kumar agreed that he was an accused in the cases registered in connection with counterfeits. “I was acquitted in the first case and the other two cases are fabricated. I have also resigned from the MD’s post, since my background may tarnish the image of the company. I have no official obligations to Kairali as of now. After the first case, I was working in the Gulf,” he said.