The Central Bureau of Investigation has booked an Assistant Section Officer of the Civil Aviation Ministry for allegedly attempting to extort bribe from the managing director of an air transport service provider company for a no-objection certificate.
The accused has been identified as Vinay Kumar, against whom the Ministry had lodged a complaint alleging that he received “undue advantage” and also attempted to get bribe while dealing with a file pertaining to a request for no-objection certificate by Shyson Thomas, managing director of Air Pegasus Private Limited.
The CBI initiated a preliminary enquiry, which prima facie established the charges. Subsequently, the case was registered. Mr. Thomas had earlier accused the official of indulging in corrupt practices. On October 24, 2018, he put the then Civil Aviation Joint Secretary Usha Padhee on the conference call while talking to the accused official. The conversation was recorded.
Based on the findings, the official was placed under suspension in November 2018. The complaint against him was first marked to the Delhi Police. However, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (South Delhi), in December 2018, wrote to the Ministry stating that the complaint being of corruption by a Central government employee should be pursued by the CBI.
