After Sunday morning’s , two managers of the helicopter operator, Aryan Aviation, were booked in an FIR registered later in the day under the charge of culpable homicide.
The FIR accused the operator of “gross negligence” and listed several alleged lapses. It said the helicopter took off around 50 minutes before its allotted time, during conditions of poor visibility caused by clouds and fog.
All seven people on board, including a two-year-old child, died after the helicopter carrying Char Dham yatra pilgrims from Kedarnath crashed near Gaurikund in Rudraprayag district.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister subsequently ordered a high-level investigation into the incident. All Char Dham yatra operations by Aryan Aviation, the operator of the crashed Bell 407 helicopter, have been suspended with immediate effect, and two other helicopter pilots, working for a different operator, have been suspended for six months for flying in “unsuitable weather conditions”.
The FIR against Aryan Aviation officials was registered under BNS section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and the Aircraft Act.
It said, “Aryan Aviation Pvt. Ltd. had been allotted the first flying slot for helicopter operations on 15-06-2025, between 6 am and 7 am. However, the accident occurred around 5.30 am, prior to the allotted slot. As per the SOPs issued by DGCA and UCADA, each helicopter operator is required to appoint a person responsible for ensuring strict compliance with the SOPs and adherence to the allotted flying slots, which is to be ensured by the base manager.”
It also said it was mandatory to check weather conditions before take-off. “On the morning of the incident, the area was covered with clouds and fog. Despite this, the helicopter was operated, in clear violation of the SOPs.”
The FIR further alleged, “Aryan Aviation Pvt. Ltd., along with its manager Vikas Tomar and accountable manager Kaushik Pathak, were well aware that disregarding the SOPs could result in loss of life and property. The circumstances of the accident show that Aryan Aviation Pvt. Ltd. and its managers did not comply with the SOPs issued by DGCA and UCADA and exhibited gross negligence in fulfilling their duties, which led to the accident.”
