NEW DELHI: Civil aviation minister K Rammohan Naidu on Monday said that the government is looking to amend rules to put perpetrators Naidyuof bomb threats to airlines on no-fly list in the wake of multiple hoax bomb threats targeting airlines.
Addressing a press conference Naidu said amendments are being planned to aviation security rules as well as the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Safety of Civil Aviation Act, 1982.
“From the ministry, we have thought of some legislative action if it is required. We have come to the conclusion that there are two areas that we can explore – 1) Amendment in Aircraft Security Rules…one of the ideas that we want to propagate by changing these rules is that once we catch hold of the perpetrator who is behind this, we want to put them in the no-flying list… 2) Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Safety of Civil Aviation Act,” Naidu told the reporters.
“We are making it a cognizable offence, so based on that amendment, there is a going to be a punishment and also fine,” he added.
In the past week, Indian airlines have received nearly 100 bomb threats targeting their flights.
The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) is continuously in touch with the ministry of home affairs on the situation of bomb threats to flights, he said.