Govt Imposes Rs 1 Crore Fine for Airline Bomb Hoaxes Under Updated Security Rules.

2024/12/21

The government has introduced new security regulations under the Aircraft Security Rules, 2023, which impose fines of up to Rs 1 crore for hoax bomb threats targeting airlines. These updated rules are aimed at reducing disruptions and improving safety within the civil aviation sector.

As per the recent amendments, anyone found making false bomb threats can now face heavy penalties. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has released a gazette notification adding Section 30A to the Aircraft Security Rules. This section imposes fines for spreading false information that could:

Endanger the safety of an aircraft, airport, or aviation facility.
Cause panic among passengers, crew, airport staff, or the general public.
Disrupt airline operations.
Additionally, Rule 29A grants the director general the authority to issue written orders to prevent individuals or groups from boarding an aircraft or to remove them from the plane if needed.

Violating these new rules can result in fines ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1 crore, depending on whether the offender is an individual or a larger organization with up to 300 employees.

Officials have pointed out that the new Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak Act, 2024, which replaced the Aircraft Act of 1934, does not classify most offenses as cognizable. This means that an FIR cannot be filed without court approval, and prison sentences for such offenses are typically less than two years. To address this, the Ministry of Civil Aviation is considering changes to the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Civil Aviation Act (SUASCA), 1982, to recognize these offenses as cognizable.

Recent data shows a sharp increase in hoax bomb threats. Between August 2022 and November 13, 2024, domestic airlines reported 1,143 hoax threats, with 994 of them occurring in 2024 alone. The surge in such threats has prompted authorities to take action, leading to the arrest of two suspects—Jagdish Shriam Uikey, a 35-year-old from Gondia, Maharashtra, and a 17-year-old from Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh—in connection with the October spike in hoax calls.

These new regulations aim to strengthen aviation security and deter such disruptive and dangerous actions.