Air India fight: Bizwoman of firm facing ED probe offloaded on Del-London business class

TNI Team

9 months ago

NEW DELHI: A top business honcho, Rashmi Saluja, who draws Rs 42 crore as her annual salary as chairperson of embattled non-banking financial corporation (NBFC) Religare Enterprises Limited (REL), was offloaded from London-bound Air India flight on March 5 at Delhi’s IGI Terminal 3, following a verbal altercation, discourteous and impolite behaviour by her with the crew.

Saluja was denied flying after she argued with two business class crew members of AI 161 on Tuesday for saying services were not amenable to her, resulting in one-hour delay into the flight departure. She was seated on 9J seat.

Air India, that was last year taken over by the Tata Group, usually sells the one-way ticket for Rs 2.15 lakh for Delhi-London business class.

“The pilot of the flight decided not to take off with her. The arguments happened during the push-back. Her behaviour was noticed by several business class passengers. The captain took the decision and decided to offload her, her cabin bag as well as checked in luggage,” said Air India sources.

*A screen grab showing Rashmi Saluja’s salary of whooping 42 Cr.*

Saluja, who is facing scrutiny by Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) over transfer of hefty stock options, has not given categorical replies on why she needed such heft pay in a firm where she was appointed as as an Additional Director (Designated as Non-Executive and Independent) on March 8, 2019, and later, sought Religare board approval to become independent director Religare Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited by September 2019, and then Executive Chairperson on December 2019 of Religare Enterprises Limited (REL) at such rapid pace, raising eyebrows in the RBI as well as now SEBI on her mercurial rise.

The 49-year-old MD in medicine is facing controversy for cornering 2.14 crore shares of Care Health Insurance Limited (CHIL), an insurance arm of Religare Enterprises Limited, despite having no prior experience in leading any investment company or financial services.

While REL is a Core Investment Companyregistered with RBI and a holding company for the subsidiary companies conducting diversified financial services businesses, it key subsidiaries include Religare Finvest Limited RFL), RHDFCL, Religare Broking Limited (RBL) and CHIL.

It’s not clear why Saluja was in rush to fly to London at the time of ongoing ED probe into REL but since September 2023, she has been fiercely resisting offers for investment by the leading Burman family that owns Dabur Group.

Saluja later requested Air India to accommodate her into next flight.

“She made several pleas saying that she has worked with Ganga Ram hospital and needed to fly to London to assist someone in medical surgery. She was accompanied by someone. Her motive to reach London so urgently was not clear. We did not probe further,” said Air India officials.

The Burmans have sought Rs 2,200-crore investment to raise their stake beyond 26 % into Religare which Saluja is opposing.

Many in Religare say that Saluja fears that she may lose job and the annual whopping salary that she takes at Religare and sought increase in it only this year.