JAMMU: Close on the heels of its exposure by STATE TIMES on May 12th, IndiGo airlines on Saturday terminated the services of its Assistant Station Manager Mohammad Nadeem and incharge Security Farhat Quraishi for permitting Chief Security Officer of Airport Authority of India, Tilak Raj, to travel illegally on a different AAI official’s boarding pass from Srinagar to New Delhi on April 1.
Sources said that the conduct of IndiGo’s Station Manager Aasiya Bashir is under scanner while as two more officials, Syed Asif and Mudassar, have been found not guilty.
Surprisingly, as of now, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), that has ordered an enquiry by Amritsar-based Deputy Commissioner Ashitosh Vasist, has not taken any action against Tilak Raj who is still on duty at Srinagar airport.
A statement by IndiGo airlines said here: “As per the internal investigation conducted by IndiGo, it was observed that Tilak Raj, Chief Security Officer-Srinagar Airport, Airports Authority of India (AAI), flew from Srinagar to Delhi on flight 6E-436, April 01, 2016 using the boarding pass under the name of one Vimal Kumar, AAI official at Srinagar Airport.
“As per the inquiry, this passenger (Tilak Raj) was observed breaching the security protocols multiple times, at Srinagar airport.
“Two of his colleagues (from AAI, based in Srinagar) had come to collect his boarding pass from the airport staff.
“Following the protocol, the airline staff asked the two AAI officials to present the photo identity – which is the standard procedure to collect the boarding pass.
“The staff learned that these two officials from AAI are only there at the airport to collect the boarding pass for their senior colleague Vimal Kumar.
“Based on the working relations with AAI officials, the staff agreed to issue the boarding pass.
“It was then observed – after the boarding of 6E-436 flight, three persons reported last minute at the boarding gate.
“All three persons were informed by the boarding gate staff that boarding is closed for this flight.
“This resulted in an argument between the boarding staff and these three persons (one of them Tilak Raj).
“These three persons, including Tilak Raj (also using the name Vimal Kumar) dismissed the instructions given by the boarding gate staff and walked towards the aerobridge to board the aircraft.
All three persons were carrying the airport entry permit.
Tilak Raj’s (representing Airport Authority of India) act to furnish boarding pass from the airline staff, misusing the airport entry permit, and entry into the restricted security areas resulted in serious security violation.
“Senior leadership has terminated the staff (on duty) with immediate effect, on grounds of negligence”.
In its edition on May 12th, STATE TIMES had exclusively exposed the major security breach by AAI’s Chief Security Officer in connivance or negligence of the IndiGo ground staff.
According to the well placed sources, a junior AAI official Vimal Kumar had sometime back booked two seats, one each in his own name on IndiGo Airlines and Go Air, for April 1, from Srinagar to New Delhi. On April 1, his senior Tilak Raj insisted that he too would fly to Delhi on one of the tickets. He suggested to Vimal Kumar that he (Tilak Raj) would board IndiGo flight and Vimal would travel on the following flight of Go Air.
However, when different security and surveillance agencies learned that Tilak Raj had travelled on Vimal Kumar’s boarding pass by IndiGo flight to Delhi and arguments took place, Vimal Kumar did not use even his own boarding pass for Go Air flight.
Vimal Kumar’s no-show after having collected his boarding pass led to announcements of his name by Go Air. Later, he was seen going back to his office.