Mumbai, Feb. 10: Two air traffic controllers were taken off the roster today as a civil aviation team began probing yesterday’s near collision between a plane and a presidential chopper amid hints of “sabotage”.

“Two ATC controllers involved in the incident have been suspended pending an inquiry. We are not ruling out sabotage and the Intelligence Bureau has been asked to trace their antecedents,” said a member of the DGCA team investigating the close shave at Mumbai airport.

The eight-member team, led by DGCA joint director-general (investigation) A.K. Chopra, met ATC operators today.

Top ATC sources said the officials had only been “de-rostered”, not suspended. “It is a normal exercise after any incident, wherein the officials under probe are not allowed to work at their place,” Mumbai ATC general manager M.G. Jhungare told PTI. “They have not been suspended.”

A source said the ATC had “records that show the IAF pilots didn’t seek landing clearance”. The chopper had landed within 30 metres of the Air India aircraft but the plane’s pilot pulled off an emergency halt. The source said the traffic controllers’ guild might move court if the operators were unfairly implicated.

An ATC operator said there was a “three-minute window” as the first chopper of the presidential fleet landed three minutes early. “That is enough time for a flight to take off. That is why the plane was given the go-ahead by the ATC.”