Expert committee to look into pilot licence procedures
March 15th, 2011 - 7:53 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, March 15 (IANS) Concerned over the issue of fake commercial pilot licences, Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi Tuesday said an expert committee will be formed to look into the current system of examination and procedures for obtaining a pilot licence.
The committee will also look into areas such as the introduction of e-technology and an effective system of cross-verification of documents filed by candidates, Ravi told Rajya Sabha.
He also said that the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) has been directed to examine all the pilots licences issued in the past.
The steps to strengthen the procedures come after the arrest of two pilots, who faked their eligibility certificates, and two more who are on the run, which has made the authorities suspect the presence of an organised racket to provide fake documents to aspiring pilots.
Earlier, the DGCA said that it was conducting a thorough check of around 4,000 commercial pilot licences.
The scandal came to light when IndiGo pilot Parminder Kaur Gulati (38) was arrested March 8 for allegedly obtaining the Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) using forged documents.
Delhi Police Saturday arrested Air India pilot J.K. Verma on charges of using a forged marks sheet to acquire a pilot licence.
Verma had been a co-pilot with Air India since 1989.
“We have registered a case of forgery and endangering people’s life,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Ashok Chand said Monday.
He said: “They are believed to have paid Rs.10-12 lakh each to touts (to get pilot licence).”
According to Delhi police, two pilots — Meenakshi Sehgal of IndiGo and Swaran Singh Talwar of MDLR — were absconding.
The crime branch fears that someone inside DGCA may be involved in the racket.
- Fake pilot scam: Govt. directs DGCA to probe all pilot licenses - Mar 15, 2011
- Operations safe, asserts Air India; another pilot grounded - Mar 16, 2011
- Lookout notices issued for three fake pilots, instructor - Mar 28, 2011
- Fake pilot licence issue may be limited to few: official - Mar 14, 2011
- Aviation regulator to screen 4,000 pilots for fake licences - Mar 14, 2011
- Fake pilots: Four more held - Mar 26, 2011
- One more fake pilot arrested (Lead) - Apr 04, 2011
- Two more fake pilots on the run, licences being probed (Roundup) - Mar 14, 2011
- Two more held in fake pilot scam - Apr 05, 2011
- Delhi Police arrests MDLR pilot for forging documents - Apr 20, 2011
- Another pilot arrested for forging documents - Apr 04, 2011
- Fake pilot probe: Two more arrested for forging documents - Apr 05, 2011
- Fake pilot probe: Two DGCA officials held - Apr 06, 2011
- Two more arrested in fake pilots' license scam - May 05, 2011
- One more held in fake pilot licence scam - Apr 16, 2011
Tags: air india, airline transport pilot, civil aviation, co pilot, commercial pilot, commissioner of police, crime branch, delhi police, deputy commissioner, dgca, effective system, expert committee, fake documents, mdlr, pilot licence, pilot licences, sehgal, swaran singh, talwar, vayalar ravi