DGCA chief Bharat Bhushan told to quit; Prashant Narain Sukul takes charge

July 12, 2012

Civil aviation ministry has asked Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) chief E K Bharat Bhushan to quit as head of the aviation regulator with immediate effect. Bhushan was recently granted an extension as the head of DGCA. However, he would continue to serve as additional secretary in the ministry. Official explanation to his removal has not been given.
Bhushan handed over the charge to Prashant Narain Sukul, a joint secretary in the ministry, who would also officiate as DGCA chief. Mr. Sukul is also a director on the Air India board.
Bhushan, an IAS officer of the 1979 batch from the Kerala cadre, had assumed charge in December 2010. Bhushan had brought in strict measures to prevent airlines from compromising on safety, even when they were struggling with financial problems. During his tenure he handled various cases of flouting of aviation rules, including the fake pilots scam and fudging of records by flying schools, and had implemented various corrective measures.