The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) took stringent action on Wednesday, suspending its director, Captain Anil Gill, amidst corruption allegations. The move follows an anonymous email received by the ministry and DGCA, prompting an investigation and subsequent suspension.
Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia emphasized a zero-tolerance policy towards malpractices, asserting that any such issues would face strict legal measures. The decision to suspend Captain Anil Gill came shortly after the aviation regulator forwarded the bribery case against him to the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Allegations surfaced against Gill, who was recently reassigned to the aerosports department, claiming that he coerced Skynex Aeroflight Solutions, an approved Flight Training Organization (FTO) by DGCA, to fund his training trips to the Czech Republic for Piper PA-28 Aircraft training, an activity purportedly unnecessary for his role.
An official familiar with the matter revealed that the email accused Gill of leveraging these trips to establish dealership relations between his purported benami company, Sabres Corporate Solutions, and aircraft manufacturer Bristell Aircraft, purportedly for extracting commission in foreign currency.
Furthermore, authorities highlighted potential violations under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) due to the issues raised in the emails.
The allegation, as per the correspondence, also accuses Captain Gill of exploiting his position to acquire three aircraft as bribes from flying schools. Subsequently, he allegedly leased these planes to other schools at a lease rental of Rs. 90 lakh each.
The suspension and subsequent investigation reflect the aviation regulator’s commitment to upholding integrity within its ranks and addressing corruption allegations seriously.
Sources By Agencies