Raman Singh’s use of copter under lens

New Delhi/Raipur: Civil Aviation regulator DGCA is probing alleged use of helicopter meant for anti-Naxal operation by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, a charge strongly denied by the state government which said that no violation had taken place.

The DGCA, which has suspended two pilots King Rotors, whose helicopters were allegedly used by Singh for flying within the state whereas it was meant for anti-Naxal operations, according to DGCA sources. But Director (Aviation) of the state government, Rajat Kumar, disputed the DGCA official’s charges saying there was no violations. The helicopter operator had entered into an agreement with the state government in first week of July for anti-Naxal operations in Bastar, the worst hit Naxal district.

Kumar said that there was no violation as it was mandated in the contract with the operator that it will have to fly VVIPs when it was not being used for anti-naxal operations.

“The helicopter operator is paid for such sorties from the civil aviation fund of the state government and not from the anti-Naxal operation fund from the MHA,” he said.

The DGCA rules mandate that a VVIP has to be flown in a twin-engine copter and the DGCA had claimed that the CM had used a single engine at some occasions. Kum-ar countered it by saying that while high precaution was maintained for travel of the CM but on occasions, due to non-availability of such machine, he was flown in a single-engine chopper keeping his security in mind.

“Its much safer to travel in a single-engine helicopter at some occasion rather than by road where chances of being targeted by the Naxals is much higher,” a senior state police official said.

Naxalites have been targeting senior politicians and para military forces during their road movement.

Senior Congress leader Mahinder Karma and former Union minister V.C. Shukla were among 28 people killed near Sukhma in 2013 when they were travelling by road.