DGCA suspends officer over graft allegations

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Wednesday suspended its director of Aerosports, Capt. Anil Gill, over graft allegations. Officials, however, clarified that the investigation was still in process.

The suspension came days after the DGCA transferred Capt Gill from the department of flight training (FT) to Aerosports.

““There is zero tolerance to malpractices. Any such issue will always be dealt with the strictest measures in accordance with the law,” aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said.

Capt. Gill did not respond to HT.

“..a disciplinary proceeding against Capt. Anil Gill, Director posted in Directorate of Aerosports in DGCA Headquarters is contemplated…the President in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-rule.. hereby places the said Capt. Anil Gill posted in the Directorate of Aerosports under suspension with immediate effect,” the suspension order said.

The order clarified that during the suspension period Capt. Gill, will have to be in Delhi and will not be permitted to leave the headquarters without obtaining the previous permission of the undersigned.

Gill, who has been accused of corruption three times in his eight-year stint in DGCA was shunted out as the director of Flying Training (DFT) following the latest anonymous complaint.

As DFT, Gill was authorised to approve FTOs, where training is necessary for someone to become eligible for a commercial pilot licence.

This complaint, sent to DGCA on October 25, alleged that Gill used his position to coerce pilots and flying schools, technically called flying training organisations (FTOs), into paying kickbacks to companies linked to him to look the other way if they were found to have violated rules and protocols.

In some cases, the complaint alleged, the FTOs that could not pay the bribe Gill sought sold their aircraft at “nominal prices” to the companies linked to him. These companies would then lease these mostly light aircraft for flight training to other FTOs at rates in the vicinity of ₹90 lakh a year.

HT had reported that another anonymous email received on November 1, alleged that Gill forcefully made a company named 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.