UK Tribunal ruling on UBS brings rich Indians under lens

Mumbai, May 31: Sachin Karpe would have never imagined that an innocuous $5,000 transfer from a friend's UBS offshore bank account to his personal bank account in Mumbai would come back to haunt him and the wealth advisory business his wife, along with three others, runs in the city.

The unidentified NRI friend, who was travelling to India, had moved the money from his UBS account to Karpe's account in a European bank's Mumbai branch. This single transaction triggered investigations that backfired on UBS and pointed out how Karpe and his colleagues helped ADAG entities violate Indian securities regulations.

Also, for the first time, the role that Swiss banks play in irregular transactions in Indian stock markets came to the fore.

"The use of FII structures for Indian resident investors was commonplace within UBS and that was well known to senior management," said the UK Upper Tribunal verdict in the case Karpe vs FSA, the British regulator.

The FII structure, set up by UBS, used funds from the Swiss bank's accounts to invest in offshore derivatives issued against stocks of ADAG group companies. The tribunal ruling has deepened suspicions of sharp practices that wealthy Indians and local business houses often indulge in.

"The FII structures were in relatively widespread use within UBS; for example, there had been 14 "cells" of the fund and only one had been the subject of the present allegation of misconduct," said the tribunal.

UBS Distances Itself

Multi-cell FIIs - through which select investors could route money separately without revealing their identities - were banned a few years ago when the Indian capital market regulator had a whiff of such transactions.

But, when ET contacted UBS, the bank preferred to distance itself from these transactions. Mark Panday, a Hong Kong-based spokesman for UBS said, "The fund structures used by the former employees in London during the relevant period were not approved or permitted by UBS."

"The conduct of Ms (Laila) Karan (who worked at the Asia-II desk) and Mr Karpe was in clear breach of UBS policies and procedures. Both Ms Karan and Mr Karpe were dismissed by UBS for gross misconduct. UBS has fully co-operated with the regulatory action taken by the FSA against them and notes the decisions of the Upper Tribunal to uphold that action. We are satisfied with the outcome and this matter is now closed," he said.

Like UBS, Altamount Capital, the wealth management and family office shop that Sachin Karpe's wife Richa runs would like to distance itself from the former Swiss Bank official. "Sachin has no direct connection with Altamount Capital in any manner barring that he is a consultant with Altamount," she told ET some time back.

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Chaos in the skies: Why IndiGo is facing its worst crisis yet and what should passengers do now?

News Network

December 4,2025

Angry outbursts, long queues, and desperate appeals filled airports across India today as IndiGo grappled with a severe operational breakdown. Hundreds of flights have been cancelled or delayed, leaving thousands of passengers stranded through the night and forcing many to spend long hours at helpdesks.

Social media was flooded with videos of fliers pleading for assistance, accusing the airline of misleading updates, and demanding accommodation after being stuck for 10 to 12 hours at airports such as Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

What Triggered the Meltdown?

IndiGo has attributed the widespread disruption to “a multitude of unforeseen operational challenges.” These include:

•   Minor technology glitches
•   Winter-season schedule adjustments
•   Bad weather
•   Congestion in the aviation network
•   New crew rostering rules (Flight Duty Time Limitations or FDTL)

Among these, the most disruptive has been the implementation of the updated FDTL norms introduced by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in January 2024.

These rules were designed to reduce pilot fatigue and improve passenger safety. Key changes include:

•   Longer weekly rest periods for flight crew
•   A revised definition of “night,” extending it by an extra hour
•   Tighter caps on flight duty timing and night landings
•   Cutting night shifts for pilots and crew from six per roster cycle to just two

Once these norms became fully enforceable, airlines were required to overhaul rosters well in advance. For IndiGo, this triggered a sudden shortage of crew available for duty, leading to cascading delays and cancellations.

Why IndiGo Was Hit the Hardest

IndiGo is India’s largest airline by a wide margin, operating over 2,200 flights daily. That’s roughly double the number operated by Air India.

When an airline of this size experiences even a 10–20% disruption, it translates to 200–400 flights being delayed or grounded — producing massive spillover effects across the country.

IndiGo also relies heavily on high-frequency overnight operations, a model typical of low-cost carriers that aim to maximise aircraft utilisation and reduce downtime. The stricter FDTL norms clash with these overnight-heavy schedules, forcing the airline to pull back services.

Aviation bodies have also criticised IndiGo’s preparedness. The Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA) said airlines were given a two-year window to plan for the new rules but “started preparing rather late.” IndiGo, it said, failed to rebuild crew rosters 15 days in advance as required.

The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) went further, calling the crisis the result of IndiGo’s “prolonged and unorthodox lean manpower strategy,” and alleging that the airline adopted a hiring freeze even as it knew the new rules would require more careful staffing.

How Many Flights Are Affected?

In the past 48 hours, over 300 flights have been cancelled. At least 100 more are expected to be cancelled today.

City-wise impact:

•   Hyderabad: 33 expected cancellations; several fliers stranded overnight
•   Bengaluru: over 70 expected cancellations
•   Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata: widespread delays and missed connections

Passengers shared distressing accounts online.

One customer at Hyderabad airport said they waited from 6 PM to 9 AM with “no action taken” regarding their delayed Pune flight. Another said IndiGo repeatedly told them the crew was “arriving soon,” only for the delay to stretch over 12 hours.

IndiGo has apologised for the disruption and promised that operations will stabilise within 48 hours, adding that “calibrated adjustments” are being made to contain the chaos.

What Should Passengers Do Now?

For those flying in the next few days, especially with IndiGo, here are key precautions:

1. Keep Checking Flight Status
Monitor your flight closely before leaving for the airport, as delays may be announced last-minute.

2. Arrive Early
Expect long queues at counters and security due to crowding and rescheduling.

3. Carry Essentials
Pack snacks, water, basic medicines, chargers, and items for children or senior citizens. Extended waiting times should be anticipated.

4. Use Flexible Booking Options
If you booked tickets with a free-date-change or cancellation option, consider using them.
If you haven’t booked yet, prefer refundable or flexible fares, or even consider alternate airlines.

5. Follow IndiGo’s Updates
Keep an eye on IndiGo’s official social media channels and contact customer support for rebooking and refund queries.

What Needs to Change?

Pilot groups have raised concerns not just about staffing but also the planning practices behind it.
The Federation of Indian Pilots accused IndiGo of:

•   Imposing an unexplained hiring freeze despite knowing the FDTL changes were coming
•   Entering non-poaching agreements that limited talent movement
•   Keeping pilot pay frozen
•   Underestimating the need to restructure operations in advance

They have urged DGCA to approve seasonal schedules only after airlines prove they have adequate pilot strength under the new norms.

ALPA also warned that some airlines might be using the delays as an “immature pressure tactic” to push DGCA for relaxations in the new rules — which, if granted, could compromise the very safety standards the norms were meant to protect.

Both pilot bodies stressed that no exemption should dilute safety, and any deviations should be based solely on scientific risk assessment.

Is a Solution in Sight?

While IndiGo says normalcy will return within two days, aviation experts believe that fully stabilising operations could take longer, depending on how quickly the airline can:
•   Re-align rosters
•   Mobilise rested crew
•   Boost staffing
•   Adjust its winter schedule to match regulatory requirements
Passengers are advised to remain prepared for continued delays over the next few days as the airline works through its backlog.

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