According to DGCA sources, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh was flown in a chopper meant only for anti-naxal operations.
Two pilots of a private firm have been suspended by the aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), for allegedly flying Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh in a chopper that is meant to be used only for anti-naxal operations, and for flouting other safety norms, said sources.
A probe has been initiated into the alleged violations of various DGCA norms and the home ministry guidelines for VVIP flights, highly-placed DGCA sources said today.
According to sources, DGCA has summoned senior officials of the private chopper operator, King Rotors & Air Charters, and may even call Chhattisgarh civil aviation authorities during the probe.
Sources say that the alleged violation surfaced during the inspection of documents pertaining to the firm's operations conducted recently by DGCA authorities.
"It was found that the Chief Minister was flown in the Bell 407 chopper, belonging to King Rotors and under contract with the Chhattisgarh government, from Nagpur to Aurangabad and from there to Juhu airport in Mumbai on February 17 and 18 this year," sources said.
The single-engine six-seater chopper was, however, taken on contract by the state government only for use in anti-naxal operations. As per home ministry guidelines, VVIP flights are to be operated only in a twin-engine chopper with two pilots on board, sources said.
Sources also alleged forging of signatures by the pilots on pre-flight medical documents. "While on three such documents, the signatures were forged, on one, there were no signatures at all," sources claimed.
When contacted, the Chhattisgarh chief minister's office (CMO) said that it was not aware of the matter.