Mumbai court refuses to register FIR against former minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju

The Mumbai Sessions Court has dismissed a petition seeking registration of an FIR against former Civil Aviation Minister and current Goa Governor Ashok Gajapathi Raju and former Air India CMD Ashwani Lohani. Aviation official KV Jagannadha Rao had sought registration of a case against them and several other senior government officials in connection with flight safety violations in 2017. He alleged that on January 19 of that year, pilot Captain Arvind Kathpalia flew Delhi-Bengaluru flight AI-174 without undergoing a breathalyzer test. He alleged that despite a complaint against him, he also flew the return flight AI-173 the same night. However, he made an entry in the register that he had gone for the test.

The then Joint Director General of DGCA, Lalit Gupta, conducted an inquiry on February 15 and said that Kathpalia's flying license was suspended. However, neither the DGCA nor Air India had investigated his behavior. He sought registration of an FIR against the then Minister Ashok and CMD Lohani. However, the Magistrate's Court ordered a police investigation only against Kathpalia in 2018. The complaint against the Minister, CMD and other senior officials was dismissed.

Jagannath Rao approached the Mumbai Additional Sessions Judge's Court (Dindoshi Court) on this. However, Judicial Officer Mohiuddin refused to interfere with the Magistrate's Court's orders. Orders to this effect were issued on Tuesday. He questioned that the Delhi High Court had quashed all the FIRs, chargesheets and other legal proceedings filed against Kathpalia. In that case, how could it order the registration of FIRs against the other defendants?