Fake pilots scam: Another pilot granted bail

A trial court in New Delhi today granted bail to a pilot who was arrested for submitting forged documents to obtain his commercial pilots licence.

A trial court here Thursday granted bail to a pilot who was arrested for submitting forged documents to obtain his commercial pilots licence.

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"Considering the circumstances that the accused (Rohit Kapoor) has not flown any aircraft and that other people arrested in a similar cases are released on bail... thus he is also entitled to bail," Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Rakesh Pandit said.

The court dismissed the Delhi Police's plea seeking 14 days' judicial custody of Kapoor.

It further directed Kapoor to furnish personal and surety bonds each of Rs.25,000.

The 22-year-old Kapoor was arrested from R.K. Puram area of south Delhi Wednesday.

A resident of Dwarka, Kapoor was held after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), while scrutinising documents, found his marksheet to be forged and registered a police complaint against him.

"He had paid Rs.50,000 to a middleman in Delhi for getting a forged result card for Commercial Pilots Licence (CPL) papers," Deputy commissioner of Police Ashok Chand said.

Police said they have identified the middleman and were hopeful of arresting him very soon.

A few hours after Kapoor was arrested, police took him to Rajasthan to apprehend other accused in the case, a senior police officer said.

The fake pilots scam was first unearthed March 7 by the DGCA after some pilots were found to have procured Airlines Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) and CPL using fake documents.

According to police, 18 people, including three DGCA officials, have been arrested so far for their involvement in the scam.