Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Oct 17: As the array of hoax bomb threats continued unabated and the Delhi police launched an investigation into the matter that is causing inconveniences to passengers and hitting the economy of the airlines, the centre is contemplating to amend the relevant acts to provide for stringent punishment for making such hoax calls.
Highly placed sources in the Ministry of Civil Aviation said on Thursday that an inter-ministerial consultations were under way to make amendments to Aircraft Act, 1934 and subordinate legislations to ensure a 5-year imprisonment as well as placing offenders on a no-fly list for making hoax bomb threats.
The move came on a day when at least 15 threats were posted for various Indian airlines taking the total number to over 30 in the past four days. Bomb threats were issued to six Air India Express flights, five Air India flights, two Vistara flights and two IndiGo flights on Thursday.
“Opinions are being sought from all quarters for changes to rules and regulations to ensure strict action in such cases,” Minister for Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu told reporters on the sidelines of an event. He added that the government wanted to ensure deterrence for miscreants posting false threats.
A senior official of the Ministry said the Ministry of Home Affairs has taken up a proposal from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security for a 5-year imprisonment for those who are charge-sheeted in hoax bomb threat cases. The MHA is consulting the Law Ministry for amendments to Aircraft Act, 1934 and Aircraft Rules, 1937. A second proposal that has been mooted was placing offenders on a no-fly list in order to bar them from air travel.
Officials said the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Safety of Civil Aviation Act, 1982, provide for life imprisonment for threatening safety at airport or disrupting any service at the airport, it was too stringent a punishment for hoax calls to stand the legal scrutiny.
The Delhi Police have registered an FIR in connection with bomb threats and launched a probe into the matter. According to sources, an FIR was registered at the IGI airport police station as different flights received the threats through a social media handle in the last three days.
The issue of multiple hoax threats to various airlines also came up before a parliamentary committee on Wednesday as the civil aviation secretary told parliamentarians that the accused were being identified and action would be taken against them.
On Thursday, an Air India flight from Mumbai to London declared an emergency onboard after receiving a bomb threat. In addition four other Air India flights, two Vistara and two IndiGo flights received bomb threats, adding to a list of threat calls airlines have received this week.
The aircraft was ‘squawking 7700’ – a code used by pilots of an aircraft to declare a general emergency. Online Flight tracking website, FlightRadar24, showed the Boeing 777, operated by Air India, taking off at 7:05 am (IST) from Mumbai circling over East England and declaring an emergency. The AI129 flight declared an emergency an hour before landing. It was scheduled to land at Heathrow Airport in London at 12:05 pm (UK time). The aircraft later landed at Heathrow Airport.
The pattern of airlines receiving bomb threats continued for the fourth consecutive day, with at least 20 aircraft getting threats in four days. A Mumbai-bound Vistara flight with 147 persons on board was immediately taken to security checks on its arrival from Frankfurt following the Boeing 787 aircraft receiving a bomb threat, according to the airline.
“Vistara flight UK 028 operating from Frankfurt to Mumbai on 16 October 2024 was subject to a security threat received on social media. As per protocol, all relevant authorities were immediately informed. The aircraft safely landed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai and was taken to the isolation bay where all customers were disembarked. We are fully cooperating with the security agencies to complete the mandatory security checks. At Vistara, the safety and security of our customers, crew and aircraft are of utmost importance to us,” a Vistara spokesperson said.
At the same time, an IndiGo flight operating from Istanbul to Turkiye for Mumbai also received a bomb threat and was taken to an isolation bay here for the security agencies to carry out a comprehensive security check. IndiGo in a statement said, “Flight 6E 18, operating from Istanbul to Mumbai, received a security-related alert. Upon landing, the aircraft was isolated, and all passengers were safely disembarked.” The airline worked closely with the relevant authorities, and standard operating procedures were followed, it said.
Official sources said the Sources told NDTV earlier that the Centre and civil authorities were working together to handle the crisis. The Home Ministry asked the Civil Aviation Ministry to send a detailed report on the incidents. Airlines have been asked by the aviation ministry to provide inputs on the bomb scare incidents, based on which, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will prepare a report.
A Parliamentary Standing Committee met over the issue yesterday. This was preceded by a meeting called by Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu with the Civil Aviation Ministry and DGCA officials. “We are closely monitoring the situation and ensuring that we are committed to maintaining the highest security standards and passenger safety remains our topmost priority,” Mr Naidu said in a statement.
Sources said several steps would be taken to deal with such situations: Those who post bomb threats will be added to the ‘Unruly Passengers’ list. The airlines have suggested that they should be banned from flying for five years. Sources said the airlines have suggested that losses borne by them due to fake bomb threats should be recovered from the accused.
The names of those responsible for hoax calls would be shared with the airline and security agencies. The Civil Aviation Ministry is expected to share the guidelines soon. The ministry will also share a detailed report on the bomb scare investigation in two days, sources said.