Thaindian News

New Delhi, April 19 (IANS) Cracking down on fake pilot licences, the civil aviation regulator Tuesday “relieved” from duty one of its controversial directors who allegedly unduly favoured his daughter in getting a flying licence and also asked nine other officials to explain how their children obtained flying licences.

“He (R.S. Passi) has been relieved of his duties… This is an internal arrangement and has nothing to do with the ongoing controversy,” a senior official with the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) told IANS.

Passi is alleged to have helped his daughter Garima Passi get a pilot’s licence.

Passi was joint director, air safety, of the northern region at DGCA. The official added that the action was taken “around two to three days back”. He remains with DGCA but has not been given any specific duty.

Meanwhile, nine mid-to-senior level officials of DGCA have been asked to explain how their children or relatives managed to obtain an Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL).

“Some officials with the agency have been given show-cause notices and asked to explain how their children or close family members obtained a flying licence,” the official said.

Meanwhile, the official refrained from commenting further on possible action to be against Passi.

Passi’s daughter Garima was a pilot with Spicejet airline and was sacked after it was alleged that she fudged her documents to get a pilot’s licence.

The issue cropped up when a woman pilot was found to have fudged her certificates, including on flying hours. The DGCA started a probe to check around 4,000 ATPL licences which were issued till date. And till now, the watch dog has found 13 discrepancies in issuing of flying licences and filed 13 FIRs with Delhi Police which is probing the issue.