Amid a wave of false bomb threats, the Civil Aviation Ministry has recommended that those found guilty be sentenced to at least five years to life in prison as part of planned aviation changes, a top ministry official said.
“We have proposed a minimum five-year prison sentence for anyone involved in false threats and punishment as a deterrent. Existing aviation security regulations do not address these issues,” an official told Business Today.
The official said the amendment was required in aviation security regulations, the enforcement process and a legislative amendment to the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Threatening to the Security of Civil Aviation Act 1982, which requires parliamentary approval.
The central government wants to make bomb threats a cognizable offense under flight laws on the ground and near airports.
Over the past few days, airlines have received a series of false bomb threats that have impacted flight operations, inconvenienced passengers and resulted in financial losses. The aviation ministry held a series of discussions with various stakeholders, including airlines, home ministry, security agencies and cybersecurity experts, to assess the situation.
The ministry has sent the proposed amendments to various concerned ministries, including the Union Law Ministry, seeking their views on the matter before presenting the amendments. “It is also possible to rummage through the social media platforms used by the creators of fake calls in this case,” the official added.
At a press conference, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said that the safety and security of passengers is the top priority and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) is in constant contact with the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding the situation.
The minister announced that he would seek to introduce legislative changes after the consultation process. However, it does not appear that this situation can be quickly remedied as all threats are dealt with individually. “We ensure a quick process and all players are on the same platform. In such cases, we try to expedite the process as much as possible to avoid any hassle for passengers,” Naidu added.
