Surprisingly the State Civil Aviation Department is unaware of this, with Civil Aviation Director Rakesh Chandra claiming that flying had been restarted at the Jalandhar club after the suspension of its CFI S.S. Kang. The Director claimed that this had been done after the charge of the club had been handed over to Capt Mangat of the Ludhiana Flying Club.

However, a visit to the Jalandhar club premises revealed that flying was yet to start at the club. Director-General Civil Aviation (DGCA) representative and Senior Air Worthiness Officer P.S.N. Rao, who is posted at the aviation field, said flying at the Jalandhar club had been suspended ever since the Tehelka story broke out in the second week of December last year. He said flying was yet to restart and could be done so only after the DGCA gave its nod in this regard.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Government is waiting for the DGCA to take action on the issue before it moves further against Mr Kang, who had been placed under suspension following the Tehelka expose. Mr Rakesh Chandra said Mr Kang and a few other members of the Jalandhar club had been summoned to Delhi by the DGCA on January 18. He said only after the DGCA inquiry was completed and a report submitted to his department, further action could be initiated against Mr Kang and the other members of the club.

Students, who have come from various parts of Punjab and other states are at the receiving end in the current situation. The Jalandhar Flying Club has over 10 students on its rolls who are taking training on Cessna aircraft. The students say they do not know when flying will restart. “That means that we have to stay in the city and incur additional expenditure, besides losing out on flying”, a student said. The students want the DGCA to start flying at the club immediately.

The students cannot turn to the Patiala Flying Club, which is situated on the same premises. This is because there has been no flying at the Patiala club for months. Earlier, the club had to wait for months to get an engine of its Cessna aircraft back from servicing. At present, the CFI is medically unfit and has not been cleared by the DGCA.