Jet Airways and Tata Deal: Jet Airways shares closed 6.3% higher on the NSE on Friday. Tata Sons, the holding company of Tata Group, said on Friday it is in preliminary talks with Jet Airways and has made no proposal to acquire a stake in the debt-laden carrier.

The statement from Tata Sons came after its board concluded a meeting amid buzz that it could acquire a controlling stake in the debt-ridden carrier.

Members of the board, however, refused to talk to reporters after the conclusion of the meeting, which started around noon and lasted for more than four hours.

Speculation has been rife in the media that Tata Group is in pursuit of a controlling stake in the Naresh Goyal-led Jet Airways.

The cash-starved airline has been struggling to pay its dues on time.

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways has a 24 per cent stake in the cash-starved airline, while Mr Goyal owns 51 per cent.