Bengaluru, India: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has filed a cheating and forgery case against a Hyderabad-based aerospace supplier over allegations that it submitted forged material test reports linked to components used in the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A programme.
According to official complaints, HAL’s Aircraft Division has named Tec Aero Devices and its CEO M. Sivarama Prasad in the FIR, accusing them of cheating, criminal conspiracy, and forgery under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code.
The case relates to procurement orders placed between March 2022 and September 2023 for 35 categories of components and 172 individual parts supplied for the indigenous fighter aircraft programme. HAL has alleged that the supplier submitted as many as 199 forged material test reports covering critical aerospace-grade components. These reports were reportedly linked to key testing parameters including tensile strength, hardness, shear load, corrosion resistance, and non-destructive testing.
The discrepancies came to light during routine quality assurance checks conducted by HAL, which triggered a deeper internal review of the certification documents submitted by the vendor.
As part of the investigation, HAL conducted verification with the laboratory mentioned in the test certificates. The lab reportedly denied issuing several of the documents attributed to it, stating that its name and credentials had been misused.
This confirmation strengthened suspicions that the test reports were fabricated and not generated through authorised testing procedures. Following internal findings, HAL lodged a formal complaint with the HAL police station in Bengaluru, leading to the registration of an FIR.
The case includes charges of cheating, forgery, forgery for the purpose of cheating, and criminal conspiracy.
HAL has also initiated internal procurement action against the supplier, including issuing a show-cause notice and imposing a three-year debarment, barring the company from participating in future contracts until March 2027.
Officials further confirmed that no payments were released for the disputed supplies, thereby limiting financial exposure.
The incident has raised concerns over supply chain integrity within India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem, particularly in relation to the Tejas Mk1A programme, which is central to the Indian Air Force’s modernisation plans.
The Light Combat Aircraft Mk1A is a key indigenous fighter platform under large-scale production, and stringent quality assurance is critical for ensuring airworthiness and operational safety.
While HAL has not issued further comments beyond confirming the complaint and ongoing cooperation with authorities, the matter is now under police investigation. The case comes amid increased scrutiny of defence procurement processes and quality control mechanisms in high-value indigenous aerospace programmes.
Investigators are expected to determine whether the alleged forgery was an isolated supplier-level issue or part of a broader malpractice within the supply chain.
