THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The High Court has set aside the transfer of an Air India employee allegedly targeted for being a whistleblower. AI officer apron at Trivandrum International Airport L.S. Sibu was shifted to Hyderabad in 2015, allegedly after he petitioned the Centre and the CBI against top officials regarding the ground handling contract awarded to a joint venture firm. The transfer was set aside by a bench of Justice A. Muhamed Mustaque on August 14.
While AI maintained that the transfer was a routine administrative action, the court observed the files showed that it was not for any administrative exigencies but a punitive action based on a sexual allegation petition against Mr Sibu. He had earlier alleged that the petition against him was a forged one and the HC had even directed the internal committee last year to reconsider its findings. The Crime Branch had found that 16 signatures in the complaint filed by 17 women staff members against Mr Sibu were forged.
The city police even registered a case against a senior employee of the ground handling firm on charges of fabricating the complaint and the enquiry is still pending. Mr Sibu had alleged that actions were taken against him as he petitioned the Centre and CBI against irregularities in the contract with the ground handling agency. A CBI probe was also learnt to have found irregularities to the tune of Rs 2.6 crore
