KATHMANDU, August 25: The government has directed the Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) not to send Senior Captain Subarna Awale, who faces a criminal charge, for overseas aircraft training.
Awale is currently undergoing trial for allegedly smuggling undeclared US currency from the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). Republica on Wednesday published a news report about the NAC’s plan to send Awale to Singapore for Aircraft Simulator Training to renew his flying license.
NAC picks under-prosecution pilot for overseas training
“We have directed the NAC in writing to immediately stop Captain Awale, who is under prosecution on a criminal charge, from flying to Singapore,” officiating secretary Suresh Acharya of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation told Republica. “Sending a pilot, who is under investigation on a grave charge, is against the law. So, it must be stopped.”
Acharya said if Awale is sent to Singapore against the direction , NAC Managing Director Sugat Ranta Kansakar will be punished.
Awale, who was scheduled to fly to Singapore at 11:30 pm Thursday, had already received 2,000 US$ as an allowance for the same purpose.
NAC management was criticized for taking the decision to spend millions of rupees on a person facing a criminal charge. In a statement given to the police, Awale had confessed to his crime. In April, Awale, who was scheduled to fly an NAC aircraft to Dubai, was caught red-handed by Nepal Police with undeclared
