The police should be left to investigate the allegations of impropriety surrounding the chief of a major aircraft maintenance company, said Deputy Defence Minister Mohamad Shafie Apdal today.

He made the comment in response to yesterday's police report by PRM and Keadilan, who claimed that evidence have surfaced over alleged improper awarding of a RM 5.7 million Airod contract to Quality Ranch, a company of which Airod president Ahmad Johan ( left ) used to be a director.

According to the parties, payments to Quality Ranch were made for 'consultancy work' involving a stretch modification programme on two RMAF C-130 Hercules aircraft.

Airod had won the award - worth RM 102.3 million - as part of a bigger modification and improvement programme from the Defence Ministry in 2001.