Ban on Kunal Kamra Reduced From Six to Three Months by DGCA

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posted on 4 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Kamra, represented by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan and advocate Ujjwal Sharma, had said he was banned by IndiGo for a six-month period before it even received a complaint.

The 6-month ban on stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra by Indian air carriers for allegedly heckling journalist Arnab Goswami on a flight has been reduced to 3 months after DGCA looked into the matter on Thursday. The Delhi High Court on Thursday was informed by aviation regulator DGCA that it will look into stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra's representation against the airlines which banned him from flying.

Justice Navin Chawla recorded the statement by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and asked it to make a decision on Kamra's representation within eight weeks. With the direction, the court disposed of the comedian's plea which had claimed that all the airlines imposed the flying ban on him without there being a complaint as required under the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR).

Kamra, represented by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan and advocate Ujjwal Sharma, had said he was banned by IndiGo for a six-month period before it even received a complaint. He had further said in his plea that the complaint, as per CAR, has to be made by the pilot of the flight, but in the instant case it was not done and despite that, the airline constituted an internal committee.

During the brief hearing, the committee set up by Indigo told the court that it has approved a flying ban on Kamra for three months, instead of the six months imposed by the airline initially. The court gave Kamra liberty to challenge the committee's decision and the indefinite ban imposed by the other airlines -- Air India, SpiceJet and GoAir. Kamra in his plea had claimed that the other airlines banned him for an indefinite period without even setting up an internal committee to enquire into the issue.

The court on the last date had said the DGCA ought not to have "certified" action of the airlines, other than IndiGo, which imposed an indefinite flying ban without an inquiry on Kamra. The comedian had sought directions to the DGCA to direct the airlines to revoke the ban and also action against them for alleged violation of CAR.