Ministry wants IB lens on key DGCA official
New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has given the job of monitoring India’s 40-odd flying schools to a former flying school chief whom the Civil Aviation Ministry wants scrutinised by the Intelligence Bureau (IB), and who has been repeatedly red-flagged by the Home Ministry since 2002.
Capt Yashraj Tongia, a former managing director of Yash Air, the country’s largest flying academy, took charge at DGCA this month as director, flying training.
The training chief at India’s aviation safety regulator is responsible for regulating standards at flying academies, including granting approvals to schools and instructors. Following the ‘fake’ pilot licence scandal, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) asked DGCA to probe alleged irregularities committed by flying schools.
The Union Public Service Commission recommended Tongia’s appointment in February 2011. When the appointment was delayed, Tongia moved the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) saying the delay was due to “extraneous, arbitrary and malafide reasonsâ€.
25/06/12 Ajmer Singh/Indian Express