A large number of irregularities by employees causing financial loss to ailing national carrier Air India have come to light in the past three years, ranging from theft of caviar tins to a productivity-linked incentive (PLI) scam wherein officers fraudulently withdrew higher PLI despite “having been transferred long back”. These are some of the irregularities in Air India in the past three-and-a-half years that came to light. A detailed catalogue of irregularities by employees in Air India was revealed to Parliament by civil aviation minister Ajit Singh on Wednesday. This reveals how Air India was bled dry by its own employees.
One of the irregularities detected this year was “officials drawing higher PLI than eligible, despite having been transferred a long time back”. The government is also investigating “alleged financial irregularities committed (this year) at Sydney (Australia) by the station manager”.
But there’s more to follow. Some of the other irregularities detected this year were “alleged additional expenditure incurred towards foreign allowance/hotel accommodation/transportation/visa fees by cabin and cockpit crew rostered to operate flights to Jeddah (Saudi Arabia)” and “alleged wastage of money for lounging in a five-star hotel and over-claiming than the actual duration on a simulator”. In 2011, the irregularities included “alleged pilferage and tampering of bonded items from extra-sector flights with connivance of cabin crew”, alleged irregularities in servicing of V-2500 engine causing huge financial loss to Air India, alleged misappropriation of bar sales money, sale of leased vehicle at Toronto (Canada) at throwaway price causing a loss to Air India, “alleged acceptance of substandard quality of crystal cut glassware for use in flights”, bogus attendance, overtime and conveyance claims, underweighing of cargo and alleged selection of Hotel Hilton at New York, Chicago ad Mumbai for cockpit crew (pilots) without following tender procedure ... causing additional financial burden on the company”.
In 2010, the irregularities detected included “missing caviar tins costing `20,200 from special charter flight, found in possession of the catering officer”, alleged involvement in corrupt practices in the procurement and supply of high speed diesel to Air India at Delhi airport causing financial losses to Air India, illegal dual employment of a pilot who joined “Watuniya Airways whilst in service in Air India” and “alleged irregularities in the award of cockpit crew (pilots) layover contract to Hotel Golden Tulip at Sharjah (wherein four officials were found to be guilty).
In 2009, the irregularities included alleged wrong claims by a pilot towards flying and simulator allowance to the tune of `2.2 crore despite the man being grounded for medical reasons, apprehending of a flight purser while trying to take out 372 liquor mini-bottles from the aircraft, and pilferage of huge quantities of various goods and liquor pilfered from the bar of an Air India aircraft by cabin crew in 2008.