The two pilots, who landed the helicopter carrying Congress leader Rahul Gandhi allegedly in poor visibility in UP's Sitapur district on Monday, have been derostered to enable them to appear before the DGCA for a probe, official sources said on Wednesday.
The statements of the two pilots of the helicopter and that of the District Magistrate of Sitapur would be recorded in a couple of days as part of the investigations ordered by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the sources said.
Gandhi had yesterday sought to stave off a controversy that he had forced the pilots to land the helicopter in poor visibility conditions.
"I am a pilot and I am absolutely aware of the dangers of flying in low visibility conditions. I will be the last person to do it," he had told a press conference in Lucknow.
Sitapur District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar had, however, alleged that the copter landed after sunset in poor visibility even as the UP Government shot off a letter to the Centre yesterday over alleged violation of security norms during Gandhi's visit to the state.
The letter alleged that the 39-year-old Congress leader did not avail a bullet-proof car designated for him since he was an SPG protectee and that his chopper had landed in zero visibility conditions.
"The government in its letter sent to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has requested it to ensure that the Congress leader does not violate security norms during his future visits to the state," Additional Cabinet Secretary V S Pandey told reporters in Lucknow last night.
Gandhi had virtually snubbed Uttar Pradesh Congress President Rita Bahuguna Joshi for triggering a controversy by saying that Gandhi had forced the pilots to land the chopper.
Joshi had told reporters yesterday that "We had to leave in 15 minutes because it was so dark. Putting our life in danger, we landed the helicopter in zero visibility in Sitapur. The pilot was not ready to land but Rahul Gandhi forced him to land. You should see his commitment".
Countering Joshi, Gandhi had said, "The PCC President is not a pilot. She is not an expert on weather condition. I did not put any pressure on the pilots. One of the pilots "called me aside and told me that the media was creating a controversy and putting my job in trouble. He has not broken any rule. You are making a story and destroying their career. This is not fair," the Congress leader had said.
The UP government, in its missive, has requested the Centre that the programme of SPG protectees should be provided to the state well in advance and no last minute changes should be made. PTI
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