CBI registers case against former DGCA Director Anil Gill and others in corruption case

The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered a case against Captain Anil Gill, the then Director of Flying Training (DFT) in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and several companies and other persons in connection with alleged corruption and criminal conspiracy.

According to a press release, the CBI registered a regular case on August 21 under Sections 11 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended in 2018, and Section 120B of the IPC.

The FIR stated that a preliminary enquiry was registered on April 7, 2025, following a complaint against Gill alleging abuse of his official position while serving as Director of Flying Training at DGCA.

The FIR stated that Gill allegedly extended undue official favours to select Flying Training Organisations (FTOs), causing detriment and pecuniary loss to other similarly placed operators.

It further alleged that Gill facilitated procurement of training aircraft at nominal prices through benami/shell entities allegedly managed by his close relatives and subsequently arranged their lease to favoured FTOs at higher rates, generating alleged illicit pecuniary advantage, the release read.

The release states that Bluethroat Aero Global Pvt Ltd (BAGPL) was incorporated in 2016 with Gill's mother and maternal aunt among its directors, while his cousin and sister-in-law subsequently joined the company. The FIR also stated that other entities, including Sabres Corporate Solutions Pvt Ltd and Sandhills Aviation IFSC Pvt Ltd, were incorporated with Gill's relatives as directors.

The FIR stated that BAGPL acquired two Cessna aircraft for ₹10 lakh and ₹37.5 lakh respectively and that both aircraft were subsequently leased to Redbird Aviation Academy Pvt Ltd under approvals allegedly granted by Gill in his official regulatory capacity.

Between 2021 and October 2023, BAGPL allegedly generated more than ₹2.16 crore in lease rentals from Redbird Aviation Academy alone, the FIR stated.

The FIR further alleged regulatory favouritism in the approval process, stating that Redbird Aviation Academy received its initial FTO approval within one month and three days, while approvals for competing entities allegedly took four to six months.

It also stated that Gill chaired a selection committee in September 2022 that appointed his cousin Vikas Nain as Deputy Chief Flying Instructor, who was subsequently employed by Redbird Aviation Academy at a monthly salary of approximately ₹6.5 lakh.

The FIR stated that suspicious financial transactions were also detected involving Sabres Corporate Solutions and Sandhills Aviation IFSC, while Gill allegedly failed to disclose the involvement and employment of his close relatives in aviation-related activities.

The CBI FIR names Capt. Anil Gill, Bluethroat Aero Global Pvt Ltd, Redbird Aviation Academy Pvt Ltd, Sabres Corporate Solutions Pvt Ltd, Sandhills Aviation IFSC Pvt Ltd, and other unknown public servants/private persons as accused, the release said.

The investigation has been entrusted to CBI Inspector Aditya Kumar of AC-I, New Delhi.