Hoax calls to be made cognisable offence: Aviation Minister

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Monday said that making hoax bomb threat calls to airlines will be made a cognisable offence, as multiple carriers in the past few days have received several such calls, significantly disrupting flight operations across the country.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, Mr Naidu said even though the threats have turned out to be hoaxes, there is a strict protocol that is followed by his department and airlines. "It is a very sensitive situation when it comes to such threats, there is an international procedure that we have to follow," he said.  

The minister also said that those who make such hoax calls will be placed on the no-fly list of airlines. "We have conducted multiple meetings on this issue and concluded that amendments to the rules and regulations are necessary. These changes will strengthen the cause we are currently fighting for. Once the perpetrators are apprehended, they will be placed on the no-fly list," the minister said.

The other approach, Mr Naidu said, is amending the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation (SUASCA) Act, 1982, and consultations are being held with other ministries. Over 75 airlines received threat messages, either written in lavatories or through social media, in the past few days.

Home Ministry Meeting

A key high-level meeting was also held in the Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday in which updates were taken from aviation security body Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the Central Industrial Security Force, which is responsible for security at airports. Officials said Home Secretary Govind Mohan was also given details of the investigation so far by BCAS Director General Zulfiqar Hasan and CISF Director General Rajwinder Singh Bhatti.