JSPL gets notice from DGCA on aircraft charter firm licence

NEW DELHI: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a notice to Naveen Jindal-owned Jindal Steel & Power's (JSPL) six-year-old non-schedule operator permit (NSOP) holder firm (read aircraft charter firm), asking it why its permit or charter licence should not be cancelled by allowing it to lapse when it comes up for renewal next week. The DGCA action comes after the home ministry withdrew the mandatory security clearance to Jindal's aircraft charter firm, said sources. No aviation company can operate without this clearance.

JSPL's charter firm was given licence on December 23, 2008. According to the DGCA website, it has a luxury 13-seater Global Express (VT-JSB) and a nine-seater Cessna 560XL (VT-JSS). The Global Express had come under DGCA scanner earlier this year during the general election campaign period when a number of charter aircraft were checked and some even grounded, including those of the Reliance and Adani Group.

This March, the Jindal Global Express was checked at Delhi airport and many lapses were reportedly found in it. This plane was checked along with Reliance's Falcon 9X — a high end luxury jet — that is used mainly by Kokilaben Ambani, Mukesh and Anil's mother. While the Reliance plane was grounded for a day, Jindal's Global Express escaped that punishment. If the firm's NSOP is cancelled, it may not take to the skies in a hurry.

A JSPL spokesperson said: "JSPL has applied for the renewal in timely manner as provided by the law and has also followed it up in the regular course of business. We have just received a show-cause notice from DGCA on Tuesday, why our NSOP licence should not be withdrawn due to non-grant of security clearance.

However, reasons for the non grant of security clearance have not been mentioned in the DGCA letter. Immediately, the next day, we replied to the show-cause notice asking DGCA, the detials of the reasons so that we can explain why NSOP licence deserves to be renewed. We are confident that there is no reason for the non renewal of NSOP. We await DGCA's response for our further necessary action and are also exploring our legal options."