Hyderabad, May 21: CBI has recommended action against two officials of Andhra Pradesh Aviation Corporation Limited (APACL) in connection with the helicopter crash in which chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy was killed for “lapses” on their part to verify the tenure of the pilots.
“We suggested necessary action against then managing director APACL Brahmananda Reddy and quality control manager Lakshman Rao,” DIG (CBI) VV Laxminarayana told reporters here today.
The lapses on part of the officials were their “failure” to verify the tenure of the pilots, maintenance of helicopter and outsourcing of maintenance, Laxminarayana said.
The investigating agency, which carried out a probe into the last year chopper crash that killed the chief minister and four others, recommended action in its inquiry report tabled before the state government last week.
“It (APACL) should be run like a professional organisation. One should check out all the maintenance aspects well in advance and taking decisions at the last moment on maintenance…you cannot take up,” he said.
The premier investigating agency, however, ruled out any conspiracy or sabotage in the crash in Kurnool district on September 2, 2009.
“It was an accident and weather condition was very bad. They (pilots) had taken a decision to go into clouds and could not come out,” the CBI official pointed out.
—-PTI