India's aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has imposed a hefty penalty of Rs 90 lakh on Air India, a Tata Group-owned airline, for operating a flight with unqualified pilots. The airline was found to have scheduled a flight with a non-certified line captain paired with a first officer who had not been officially cleared for flight duties, a serious breach of safety regulations.

In addition to the fine levied on Air India, the DGCA also penalized two senior officials at the airline for their roles in the incident. Pankul Mathur, Director of Operations, has been fined Rs 6 lakh, while Manish Vasavada, Director of Training, faces a Rs 3 lakh penalty.

The regulatory body launched an investigation after receiving a voluntary report from Air India on July 10. The DGCA's inquiry included a thorough review of the airline's operations, documentation, and scheduling procedures. The investigation revealed multiple violations of regulatory provisions, which the DGCA deemed could pose significant safety risks.

According to the DGCA's statement, the pilot involved in the incident has been formally cautioned and instructed to exercise greater vigilance to prevent similar issues in the future.

The regulatory body had issued show-cause notices to the flight's commander and other key Air India officials on July 22, giving them an opportunity to explain the lapses. However, the explanations provided were found unsatisfactory, prompting the DGCA to move forward with enforcement actions in accordance with current aviation rules.