London-based AdiGro Aviation has emerged as a strong contender for Jet Airways, with bids for the ailing carrier set to close on Friday.

“We are certainly putting in a bid,” Sanjay Viswanathan, the founder of AdiGroup, of which AdiGro Aviation is a part, told a news channel.

AdiGro's plans lift the gloom surrounding the 25-year-old carrier's ability to take to the skies again, against apprehensions there may not be any bid for the airline, given the exodus of staff and the allocation of its coveted slots to its rivals even as aviation minister Suresh Prabhu has sought a report on Jet’s slots.

Viswanathan, who has worked with Infosys, said he was keen to partner Etihad, which holds a 24 per cent stake in Jet. “If Etihad wants to continue with Jet, we would love to partner with them.”

Jet was forced to suspend its operations on April 17 after failing to secure emergency funding to continue with its operations.

Viswanathan said he was not partnering Jet founder Naresh Goyal in the bidding. He also denied British entrepreneur Jason Unsworth was aligned with him. “We are on our won and have strong investors. We are not in any pact with Goyal or Unsworth.”

Unsworth had claimed he along with Goyal and a group of investors had put in a bid for Jet before SBI Caps, which is managing the sale. In a tweet, Goyal's daughter Namrata later denied any association with Unsworth.

Jet shares on Friday rose Rs 16.15, or 12.29 per cent on the BSE,to Rs 147.60, on AdiGro's moves.

Prabhu action

Prabhu has asked civil aviation secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola for a report on the Jet’s slots that have been allocated to other airlines so far, sources said. The report is to be submitted by May 11.

The development comes against the backdrop of concerns raised in certain quarters about the process being followed in the temporary allocation of Jet Airways’ slots. The slots are being given to other airlines on an interim basis and decisions are taken by a committee set up by the ministry.

Jet on Thursday said its whole-time director Gaurang Shetty has resigned from the board and the company due to personal reasons.

Mortgage lender HDFC has put Jet’s office space for sale with a reserve price of Rs 245 crore, as part of efforts to recover outstanding dues. Jet owes around Rs 414 crore to HDFC.