Rakesh Sardana’s explosive claims have been vociferously rejected by Vienna International AirportAUSTRIA. Flughafen Wien AG (Vienna International Airport) has strongly rejected claims made last week by its former retail partner Rakesh Sardana and his companies Saveria JFK, Saveria USA and Rakesh Sardana in a lawsuit filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Queens.
As reported, the parties are seeking US$168 million in damages from the Austrian airport operator.
The complaints allege that Vienna International Airport (VIE) had aimed to ruin Plaintiff Rakesh Sardana economically, both in New York and internationally.
As a direct result of VIE’s actions, the complainants alleged, Sardana – a successful operator of 18 speciality retail shops in JFK Airport Terminal 4 and 45 speciality retail shops at Vienna Airport – lost tens of millions of dollars in profits and expansion opportunities at JFK, lost all of his businesses at Vienna International Airport, and lost numerous opportunities to develop retail stores at international airports around the world, including Aruba, Dublin, Malta and Miami International.
But the airport company was dismissive of the claims. “Flughafen Wien rejects all the demands and refutes all the accusations levied by Mr Sardana, and terms them completely absurd and unfounded in every way,” it said in a statement supplied to The Moodie Report.
“Up until now, Flughafen Wien AG has neither received a lawsuit nor are there any legal indications for such a lawsuit, especially not in New York. Mr Sardana will be sued if Flughafen Wien AG incurs any costs related to this grotesque campaign.
“Moreover, this initiative makes a mockery of the numerous creditors who lost millions of Euros within the context of the insolvency proceedings of his companies in Austria. He would have resorted to legal recourse with Austrian courts if there were any objective evidence.”
As revealed by The Moodie Report, in June 2012 VIE cancelled its contracts with Sardana Group companies Artifacts, Saveria and Striberny. The airport company claimed at the time that this was a result of “significant payment arrears, the failure to fully stock individual shops and unfinished facilities in the new Terminal Check-in 3 [the Skylink terminal extension –Ed]”.
