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How 34 Indian Pilots Got Into Trouble For Sharing 'Obscene' Messages Against DGCA On WhatsApp

Ouch.
Airport staff stand next to parked passenger jets of IndiGo and Jet Airways.
Rupak De Chowdhuri / Reuters
Airport staff stand next to parked passenger jets of IndiGo and Jet Airways.

On Tuesday, thirty-four pilots from four private airlines were suspended and questioned by the police all because they had complained about the aviation watchdog DGCA on a WhatsApp group.

DGCA complained that the pilots of SpiceJet, Jet Airways, GoAir and IndiGo had shared 'obscene messages'.

"DGCA has filed complaint for making obscene remarks against DGCA officials on social media. Any action on that is for the police," DGCA director general B.S.Bhullar told The Hindu.

The DGCA officials have submitted the screenshots of the WhatsApp chat in which the pilots allegedly used 'bad language' against the regulator to the police, reported NDTV.

A senior DGCA official told The Hinduthat the pilots used "unpardonable and obscene language" against the "family members of DGCA officials".

So what were the pilots discussing in the WhatsApp group?

Last month, the regulator proposed doubling the notice period of pilots from six months to one year. The norms had been opposed by many.

According to reports, the trouble began when the pilots were asked for their feedback about the rule. Some of the pilots, in their letters, wrote a different designation for Lalit Gupta, the Joint Director General of Civil Aviation. Some even addressed him as just Mr Gupta.

The officer was quite angry and reprimanded the pilots for this. NDTV reported that the officer also demanded an apology.

The pilots then reportedly turned to their private WhatsApp group to hit out at the regulator. However, someone leaked those WhatsApp messages to the DGCA and they got into trouble.

Moral of the story: Don't bitch about your boss on WhatsApp.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.