Aviation knowledgeable Sanjay Lazar has raised critical considerations over the Directorate Basic of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) determination to terminate 4 senior Flight Operation Inspectors (FOIs), alleging that a number of the officers are being unfairly focused with out due course of amid the continued turbulence surrounding IndiGo.
In a strongly worded put up on X, Lazar claimed that one of many terminated inspectors is presently hospitalised with most cancers, whereas one other has been implicated in what he described as a “trumped-up case” regardless of having no direct position within the issues beneath scrutiny.
In accordance with Lazar, the FOI pilot in query served solely as an “alternate officer” and neither accepted nor participated in any IndiGo-related or FDTL points. He alleged that the motion displays a broader sample of scapegoating fairly than accountability.
‘Nationwide hero being publicly shamed’
Lazar highlighted the case of Captain Priyam Kaushik, describing him as a “nationwide hero” who had beforehand saved 65 passengers from a burning Jet Airways ATR plane at Bengaluru airport in June 2016. Kaushik was broadly lauded on the time for his swift motion, which prevented a significant tragedy.
He additional famous that Kaushik operated one of many first evacuation flights beneath Operation Kaveri, a joint Indian Air Power-civil aviation rescue effort to deliver stranded Indian nationals residence from battle zones.
Lazar alleged that regardless of Kaushik’s service report and background because the son of a defence officer, he has been “betrayed and shamed” by the DGCA by what he termed false and public accusations.
He additionally drew consideration to the non-public toll of the controversy, claiming that Kaushik’s younger youngsters have been traumatised by the general public humiliation, whereas his spouse had expressed anguish over what she described as unacceptable allegations towards a military household.
Veteran pilot additionally named
The aviation knowledgeable additionally questioned the remedy of Captain Rishi Chatterjee, a pilot with greater than three many years of flying expertise. Chatterjee, in response to Lazar, served as an examiner with Vistara, presently flies the Boeing 787, and performed a key position in establishing the airline’s normal working procedures as assistant chief pilot.
Lazar alleged that Chatterjee, regardless of having a spotless skilled report, was eliminated with none enquiry, fact-finding train or alternative to reply.
“No enquiry, no questions — simply scapegoating,” Lazar wrote, calling the developments “disgusting” and demanding accountability from the aviation regulator.
Lazar questioned whether or not the general public would ever study the reality behind what he described as systemic points inside the regulator, suggesting that social media could develop into the one avenue for exposing alleged wrongdoing.
Earlier clarification on Capt Pokhriyal
This isn’t the primary time Lazar has stepped in to counter what he believes to be misinformation involving senior pilots or aviation officers. Earlier, he had publicly clarified studies associated to Captain Pokhriyal, stating that narratives circulating on the time had been deceptive and didn’t precisely replicate the officer’s position or actions.
By intervening then, Lazar had argued that selective leaks and incomplete data had been getting used to tarnish reputations with out establishing information — a priority he now says seems to be repeating itself within the case of the terminated FOIs.
