People from 9W already know of it. Divorces can be bitter but this one wins the prize in my book
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Jet pilot outsources tests, faces criminal action - The Times of India
MUMBAI: The country's aviation regulator has ordered criminal action against a
Jet Airways commander after he was held guilty of hiring an impersonator to pass the crucial exams that earned him his command licence.
Delhi-based
Captain Rajesh Sehgal had consistently failed the examinations conducted by the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) for several years. But then, in October 2010, he cleared all the three subjects in one attempt. He subsequently fulfilled other requirements (see box inside) and started flying as a commander in 2012.
Recently, however, the
DGCA received a complaint alleging that Sehgal had employed fraudulent methods to pass the tests. The regulator instituted a probe into the first ever case of "outsourcing" and discovered that the signatures in the October 2010 examinations differed from Sehgal's standard signature. It issued him a show-cause notice this August, but received no reply.
A fortnight ago, the DGCA declared his exam results "invalid" and barred him from retaking them for three years. "The director-general of civil aviation, Arun Mishra, has ordered necessary criminal action against the Jet pilot. The aviation regulator will suspend or cancel his pilot licence," said a source. He is grounded since September 24.
'I have been framed'
In his defence, Sehgal told TOI on Friday that he was framed by somebody out of personal enmity. Rubbishing the use of an impersonator, he said he cleared the exams in one go because "he spent three months studying"; he attributed the previous failures to his busy flying schedule. "I cleared the 10-mark oral exam too. How could I have used an impersonator there?"
Sehgal has filed a petition with the DGCA and the ministry of civil aviation. "The show-cause notice was not sent to my current address. Neither was a copy sent to the airline. I didn't know of it," he said.
Mishra was unavailable for comment. Jet Airways did not respond to a questionnaire sent on Saturday.
Sehgal, who held a commercial pilot licence (CPL) and had some flying experience, joined Jet Airways as a co-pilot in 1999. At some point, he began making attempts to obtain an airline transport pilot licence (ATPL), the licence required to become a commander.
DGCA's ATPL exam records from 2006 show he consistently scored low in the three subjects—air navigation; aviation meteorology; and radio aids, instruments. From 2006 to January 2010, he gave five attempts per subject and failed in each.
Thrice, he scored 29 out of 90 in the air navigation written exam; he did not give the oral test carrying 10 marks. To pass, he needed at least 70 out 100.
"Many pilots take the exams lightly since there is no limit on attempts. A majority of them fail, but scoring 29 out of 90 consistently is uncommon," maintained an airline pilot.
In the October 2010 exams, Sehgal's scores were very different. He got 75 out of 100 in air navigation, 86 out of 100 in radio instruments and 72 out of 100 in aviation meteorology. After this, he completed Jet's ground training for commanders and their relevant simulator checks before beginning to operate flights as a commander.
Sehgal's 2010 attempt caught attention of the DGCA "after it received a complaint, which alleged that he had employed an impersonator in the exams. That was when the probe was set up," said a source.
The DGCA investigation could not explain how the impersonator, if used, was not caught by the exam invigilator. Every candidate has to carry to the exam centre a government-issued photo identity card (such as an airport entry pass, CPL or passport) and the invigilator is required to cross-check the details on the ID with the candidate's hall ticket and the DGCA candidate list.