New Delhi: While reel life Munnabhai could easily become MBBS by cheating through mobile and earphones, but two real life Munnabhais were not so lucky to become Indian pilots. They were caught and thrown out for cheating using the same Munnabhai methodology during Commercial Pilot License examinations (CPL) recently. Incidentally, both had foreign licenses to fly which they wanted to convert in Indian CPL.

The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has debarred one pilot for life after he was found using mobile and smart watch to cheat, and banned another for two years from appearing for CPL for possession of mobile phone. The two pilots were from Thane in Maharashtra and Guntur in Andhra Pradesh.

The pilot from Maharashtra — Mr Mehboob Samdani Mohd Momtaz Khan — has foreign CPL, and was appearing for the paper of ‘Air Regulation’ under CPL-CG category to get Indian license on July 26 in Mumbai. He was caught with two smart phones, a smart watch and one connecting device during his examination despite prohibition on carrying electronic gadgets to the examination hall.

“During examination, you used unfair means and were in possession of two smart phones (one I-phone and 1 small smart phone), one smart watch and one connecting device…,” the DGCA said in its order. The DGCA conveyed that all his activities were caught on CCTV camera installed in the examination hall.

“Such conduct of an individual aspiring to become a commercial pilot is considered highly detrimental to the safety of aircraft operations and also to the safety of life and material in air as well as on ground and, therefore, the violation committed is considered very grave…In view of such grave violations, the competent authority…hereby permanently (for life term) debars you from appearing in the Pilot’s License Examination,” the DGCA said in its order. It has also declared the results of his other paper on Air Navigation null and void.

In the second case, a pilot from Guntur — Mr Chadharajupalli Siva Nageswara Rao — who too was taking the test for conversion of his foreign flying license to Indian CPL, was found in possession of a mobile phone in possession during the examination on July 24. He was, however, let off with a two-year ban.

“The competent authority…temporary debars you from appearing in Pilot’s License Examination for a period of two years for adopting unfair means during examination,” the DGCA order said.