DGCA wants CBI, ED to probe graft charges against official
Capt Gill, the letter had stated, used his position to take three aircraft as a bribe from flying schools and in turn leasing the planes to different schools on a lease rental of Rs.90 lakh each
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Wednesday approached the civil aviation ministry to transfer a case of bribery, involving one of its officials, to the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), people aware of the matter said.
The move comes after the ministry of civil aviation (MoCA) and the aviation regulator, on Wednesday, received another anonymous email making allegations of corruption against its former director of flight training, Captain Anil Gill, who was last week reassigned to the aerosports department.
HT tried to reach out to DGCA and MoCA for a response but did not get one immediately.
Officials aware of the matter said the case was likely to be handed over to the central investigating agencies for further probe.
“The email sent by ‘cleanup.dgca@gmail.com’ informed that Capt. Gill forcefully made Skynex Aeroflight Solutions (an approved FTO by DGCA) to send him to the Czech Republic for training on Piper PA-28 Aircraft, which was not required for his role,” an official in the know of the matter said.
“The email has alleged that Gill used these visits to execute dealership relations between his Benami company named Sabres Corporate Solutions and the aircraft manufacturer (Bristell Aircraft) to extract commission which would be in Forex, while the deal was originally to be direct supply of Aircraft to FTO (Skynex),” the official added.
Multiple officials claimed that the second email and the issues it highlighted may attract Foreign Exchange Regulation Act/ Foreign Exchange Regulation Act violations.
Capt Gill was transferred from director FT to director Aerosports after an email was received accusing him of taking aircraft as bribes and other related issues.
The complaint was received by the DGCA office on Wednesday and the concerned officer, after enquiry, was transferred from his post on Friday.
Gill, the letter had stated, used his position to take three aircraft as a bribe from flying schools and in turn leasing the planes to different schools on a lease rental of Rs.90 lakh each.
“..Mr. Anil Gill being the head of DFT, blackmails to take action and threatens to ground the in-charge pilots/owners to penalise and even close the FTO, and takes huge cash as bribe; as well as forces some of such FTOs who can not pay such huge cash to sell from one of their remaining training aircraft at nominal price in bargain for closing his eyes and enquiry and for not taking penal actions, as provided in DGCA rules, against such FTOs as a quid pro quo,” the letter dated October 25 read.
The vigilance department has been conducting investigations into the matter, however, once the civil aviation ministry writes to the home ministry and the CBI takes over the matter, then the central agency will be conducting investigations at all levels, a second official said.
“There is no such Bristell aircraft in India and DGCA does not regulate/control foreign manufacturers. Hence these allegations seem to be baseless,” an official requesting anonymity said.