New Delhi, April 30: The Air India today appointed tainted Captain Arvind Kathpalia as Regional Director (Northern Region) from May 1, 2019. Kathpalia will take over the charge as Regional Director, as Pankaj Kumar is retiring from the post today. Meanwhile, Indian Commercial Pilot Association (ICPA) criticised the decision of the Air India to elevate the tainted official. The ICPA said, “Top officials are bending backwards to elevate a tainted official. He’s been made in-charge of NR where he'll be able to intimidate people who gave statements in police enquiry.”Air India Pilot Arvind Kathpalia Fails Breath Analyser Test Before Flight, Grounded For Three Years

The union of Air India pilots also said that a person who had broken the law and has chargesheet pending against him could not take disciplinary action against other employees. It added, “ICPA strongly condemns this and will withdraw support. It's yet again proven, people with strong political connections can get away with any crime.” Air India 332 Delhi-Bangkok Flight Returns After Co-Pilot Fails Breath Analyser Test, Senior Pilot Arvind Kathpalia to Fly DEL-LON AI-111 Declared ‘Not Fit to Fly’.

Last year in November, Kathipalia was sacked from the position of Director of Operations a day after he was barred from flying for at least three years on charges of failing an alcohol test before a scheduled international flight. He was found drunk before he was scheduled to command AI-111, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, on a flight between New Delhi and London.

The senior pilot had failed breath analyser test two time in three months last year. Kathpalia was grounded for three months in January 2017 when he was found to have alcohol in his bloodstream.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 30, 2019 04:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).