Thaindian News

New Delhi, May 18 (IANS) The central government Friday informed the Delhi High Court that a preliminary inquiry has been initiated by it against the Global Vectra Helicorp, the aviation arm of the Ravi Rishi-led Vectra Group, and the probe will be completed in three weeks.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation May 7 scrapped the firm’s operating permit after the home ministry raised security concerns.

Additional Solicitor General A.S. Chandhiok, appearing for the government, told the court that there were some materials against the company and on that basis, its operating permit has been suspended.

“On the basis of preliminary enquiry, we will decide within three weeks whether we want to continue with the suspension order or not, and on that basis, we will pass further orders as to whether the suspension of the permit against the company would continue or not,” he said.

Responding to the court’s query why no notice was issued to the company before withdrawing its security clearance and later suspending permit to operate its choppers, Chandhiok said that if the government decides to go ahead with the suspension of operating permit of the company, it will issue a show cause notice to the firm.

“The government would issue a show-cause notice to the company only when a decision is taken that the suspension would be continued against it,” he told the court.

Justice Vipin Sanghi, who heard the matter, asked the company and government to file written submissions and posted the matter for May 24 for final hearing.

Appearing for the company, senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul contended that the order on the company’s operating permit and cancelling the security clearance had been passed without a show cause notice and hence was in complete violation of the principle of natural justice.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe against Ravi Rishi, who is one of the directors of the company and has three percent stake in it, cannot be the basis for blacklisting a company which has been supplying choppers for various purposes in the country since 1998, he argued.

The CBI is currently probing the alleged role of Rishi, London-based Vectra Group chairperson, in connection with the multi-crore-rupee deal for the heavy-duty all-terrain Tatra trucks for the army and the bribery allegations made by the army chief, Gen. V.K. Singh.

With a fleet of 23 choppers, the company operates onshore and offshore operations for oil companies and also caters to tourists in northeast India.