DGCA Sacks Four Overseeing IndiGo Operations amid Turbulence
IndiGo chaos as seen at New Delhi Airport (Image TRH)
In a move amid India’s civil aviation crisis, the regulator has removed four key flight operations inspectors who were directly responsible for IndiGo’s oversight.
By KUMAR VIKRAM
New Delhi, December 12, 2025 — In an escalation of India’s ongoing civil aviation turmoil, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has terminated four flight operations inspectors (FOIs)—all of whom were directly responsible for oversight of IndiGo, the country’s largest airline.
According to an official order issued on December 11, the four inspectors—Rish Raj Chatterjee, Seema Jhamnani, Anil Kumar Pokhariyal, and Priyam Kaushik—have been relieved with immediate effect and directed to return to their parent organisations. The order clarifies that the officers were serving on a contract basis and held sensitive roles, including Principal Operations Inspectors (POIs) and Senior Flight Operations Inspectors.
The development comes at a time when IndiGo is facing one of the most serious operational crises in Indian aviation, marked by unprecedented flight disruptions, grounded aircraft, regulatory scrutiny, and allegations of systemic safety lapses.
IndiGo Crisis – A System Under Stress
India’s civil aviation ecosystem has been under pressure for months. IndiGo, which carries nearly two out of every five domestic passengers, has been hit hardest:
- Record cancellations and delays over crew fatigue, staff shortages, and rostering failures
- Growing safety concerns, prompting intensified DGCA surveillance
- Operational meltdowns following a series of incidents flagged by whistleblowers
- Mounting public backlash after passengers were stranded across major metros
- Regulatory enquiries into flight duty time violations and training lapses
The airline’s troubles exposed deeper cracks within the DGCA’s oversight system, especially concerning flight operations monitoring—an area these four sacked inspectors were directly involved in.
Why the DGCA Move Matters
Removing four FOIs simultaneously is highly unusual and signals severe dissatisfaction within the Ministry of Civil Aviation over the quality of regulatory oversight.
The officers were engaged in key roles, including:
- Dy. CFOI (A)
- Senior Flight Operations Inspector
- Consultant (FOI)
- Principal Operations oversight for IndiGo
Insiders say the mass removal suggests a reset in DGCA’s compliance and safety oversight strategy, especially after repeated criticisms that regulators failed to foresee IndiGo’s cascading operational collapse.
Experts note that the action aligns with a broader push to strengthen India’s aviation safety regime after months of turbulence and public frustration.
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