Mumbai: Air India has launched an inquiry against its executive director (operations) and two top officials for allegedly bypassing the government carrier's recruitment norms to induct a pilot, son of one of the officials, despite having failed the selection procedure twice.
This is the first time that Air India has initiated an inquiry into a case of alleged malpractices in recruitment. A chargesheet to this effect was filed.
The chargesheet, dated October 7, filed against Capt AS Soman said, "While you were working as Executive Director, Operations during 2010-2011, you succumbed to pressure of your superior official and acted against the rules to get Aditya Beri — son of your colleague, Capt NK Beri recruited into Air India Charters Ltd (the company that operates Air India Express) for the post of type rated Boeing 737-800 co-pilot even though AICL had no requirement for Boeing 777 type rated pilots — the qualification that his son was holding."
30/01/13 Manju V/Times of India
