Bomb threats to airlines: Centre mulls amendment to Aircraft Act, 1934 to ensure stringent punishment

At least 15 threats were posted for various Indian airlines taking the total number to over 30 in the past four days.

Inter-ministerial consultations are 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 hoax bomb threats for flights, said highly placed sources in the Ministry of Civil Aviation on a day 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 (October 17, 2024).

“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 that 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 is placing offenders on a no-fly list in order to bar them from air travel.

Officials say that though the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Safety of Civil Aviation Act (SUAASCA), 1982 provides for a life imprisonment for threatening safety at airport or disrupting any service at the airport, it was too stringent a punishment for hoax calls and would not stand legal scrutiny.

Published - October 17, 2024 07:22 pm IST