Georgian Airways Role in Alleged Abduction Questioned
Georgian Airways is facing scrutiny after reports emerged that one of its VIP aircraft, typically reserved for government use, was allegedly used to transport former aide to Bidzina Ivanishvili and the Co-Investment Fund chief Giorgi Bachaishvili from Abu Dhabi to Tbilisi under what his lawyers describe as an unlawful cross-border abduction involving blindfolds, secrecy, and the absence of formal extradition procedures.
According to Business Media Georgia (BM.Ge), a Bombardier CRJ aircraft, landed in Abu Dhabi on May 26 at 12:39 GMT. The jet, which is operated by Georgian Airways and regularly used for government-related travel but also available for private charter, allegedly flew with its navigation transponder disabled for most of the journey—only activating roughly 20 minutes before entering Persian Gulf airspace, obscuring the flight’s origin. The aircraft departed again at 18:25 local time (14:25 GMT), again disabling its transponder mid-air, rendering its next destination untraceable via public aviation databases.
The following day, on May 27, Georgia’s State Security Service (SSSG) announced Bachaishvili’s arrest, stating that it had received “an anonymous tip” claiming the fugitive businessman—who holds dual Georgian-Russian citizenship —had been spotted near the so-called “green border zone” between Red Bridge and Sadakhlo. That segment of the border connects Georgia with Armenia and Azerbaijan. According to the agency, Bachaishvili was apprehended during joint investigative operations involving the Interior Ministry.
But Bachaishvili offered a different account in a May 29 court hearing, alleging he was kidnapped on May 24.
“On Saturday, May 24, they kidnapped me from abroad, blindfolded me, and kept me there for two days,” Bachaishvili told the court. “Without consulting a lawyer, prosecutor, judge, or family member, in violation of all rules. Then, they loaded me directly into an Georgian airways Bombardier plane and, in violation of all laws, brought me back to Georgia,”
His lawyer, Davit Jandieri, confirmed with Interpressnews that Bachaishvili was flown in aboard the Bombardier aircraft. Jandieri described the flight as a “special charter” and stated that his client is capable of identifying several other passengers on board. He declined to name the country where Bachaishvili was allegedly detained, but said with certainty that it was not in the Caucasus region.
“I can tell you with certainty that this was not the territory of the Caucasus and was not consistent with the statement that was made by the State Security Service,” said Jandieri. “I know the approximate location, where it was, however, I cannot talk about such details.”
Jandieri added that no formal extradition process had taken place and no legal documentation had been filed. He said Bachaishvili was moved between multiple locations over a two-day period while partially blindfolded and without access to legal counsel. The defense team plans to formally request an investigation into what it characterizes as a “criminal abduction.”
In response to inquiries from BM.Ge, Georgian Airways declined to confirm or deny the aircraft’s involvement. “People rent private jets every day,” the airline said. “Additional information is personal data and we cannot tell you anything, nor can we comment. As for our government plane, the plane has been abroad for a long time for technical inspection and is not serving passengers.”
Separately, in comments to Formula TV, the airline insisted that all flights in and out of international airports are subject to oversight: “We would like to clearly state that it is impossible for any citizen to board or depart from any international airport on any airline in an illegal manner. This process is monitored by many relevant structures and such accusations are completely baseless and meaningless.”
The SSSG has not responded to the abduction claims.
Bachaishvili said on March 4 that he fled Georgia, citing fears of imminent arrest. In an interview with The Guardian published the night before his capture, he claimed that intelligence services from two countries had warned him of an active plot to kill him. On March 10, the Tbilisi City Court sentenced Bachaishvili in absentia to 11 years in prison on charges of embezzling cryptocurrency and laundering funds allegedly linked to Georgian billionaire and former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. Prosecutors say Bachaishvili stole large sums in digital assets and cash during his time leading the Co-Investment Fund. He was ordered to post 2.5 million Georgian lari (approximately USD 900,000) in bail and was banned from leaving the country.
Also Read:
- 01/05/2025 – Court Orders Ivanishvili’s Ex-Aide to Pay Nearly One Billion Dollars in Bitcoins
- 26/02/2025 – Prosecutors Launch New Case Against Ivanishvili’s Former Aide Bachiashvili
- 26/10/2024 – Interview with Giorgi Bachiashvili, Former Head of Ivanishvili’s Co-Investment Fund
- 13/03/2025 – Arrested Businessman Accuses Ivanishvili and GD of Connection with Russian Special Services
- 07/07/2023 – Former Head of Co-Investment Fund Accused of Embezzling $39 Million Worth of Bitcoin
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