New Delhi [India], February 12 (ANI): Delhi High Court on Wednesday expressed displeasure with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) while issuing notice on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed against the Drone Federation of India over allegations of forgery.
The bench led by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay, also comprising Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, orally remarked that the DGCA should have filed a complaint and registered an FIR regarding the forgery.
Court also directed DGCA, MCA and other authorities to submit separate reports on the status of the investigation. The court fixed the matter for March 19, 2025 for detail hearing. The bench also orally observed how a private entity could protect itself by presenting itself as a government organisation.
During the hearing, the counsel representing concerned ministries of Union of India submitted that the we looking at the complaint and seriously perusing it. It was also stated that MCA suspected the authenticity of the provided No Objection Certificate (NOC) and subsequently sent a letter to DGCA. The concerned ministry stated that an inspection was initiated, which eventually led to an investigation.
Senior Advocate PV Dinesh, representing petitioner RTI activist Tej Pratap Singh, stated that the Drone Federation of India (DFI) forged an NOC to bypass legal hurdles and rebrand the organisation. The fraudulent document was allegedly submitted to the MCA, misleading the public into believing the organisation had official government endorsement. The petition was filed by Advocate Piyo Harold Jaimon.
The plea further alleged that DFI has in collusion with Pioneer Flying Academy (Respondent) issued drone pilot certifications to two individuals, without securing any approval or authorisation from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation or Ministry of Civil Aviation. These certifications were issued to individuals associated with one, M/s Quidich Innovation Labs (Respondent), to operate drones.
Since the certified pilots had used these certifications for covering Indian Premier League held in Dubai, senior officer of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) had written to DGCA to verify the authenticity of these certifications, it said.
However, DGCA has failed to initiate any enquiry and has even refrained from cooperating with DCAA. The entity has not only escaped from the investigations but also organised the Bharat Drone Shakti Event at the Air Force Station, Hindan, Uttar Pradesh, where DFI used pilots without valid licenses for flying drones in the Red Zone, plea added.
According to the petitioner, the body, by forging a letter from the regulatory authority, is not only attempting to project patronage from the Government of India but has also evaded accountability for its actions as described above. It is submitted that the allegations are grave and pose a serious threat to the regulatory safety and security of the drone industry, while also fostering corruption within government departments.
Plea also sought a directive for a thorough investigation into the acts of the concerned respondents, preferably by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The plea further stated that the petitioner filed a complaint with the relevant authorities against DFI and other respondent firms alleging forgery, misrepresentation, cheating, and criminal conspiracy. In response to the lack of investigation, the petitioner staged a protest at Jantar Mantar. During the protest, the petitioner received assurances from both the DGCA and Ministry of Civil Aviation that prompt action would be taken against the illegal activities. (ANI)
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