Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey, his two sons, MP Manoj Tiwari along with five others have been booked by Jharkhand police for allegedly entering the Air Traffic Control (ATC) room and ‘forcefully’ taking clearance for take-off from Deoghar airport on August 31 to visit the family members of the girl in Dumka who was set ablaze by a stalker.
The FIR was registered at Kunda police station on Thursday after a Deputy superintendent of police (DSP) rank officer posted in airport security gave a written complaint in which the Deoghar airport director and the pilot of the chartered plane were also named.
In the complaint, security in-charge Suman Anand stated that the said persons violated all ‘safety standards’ by entering the ATC room and pressured the officials for clearance to take off, according to a report by Indian Express.
Nine persons, including BJP MPs Dubey and Tiwari, were booked under IPC sections 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 447 (punishment for criminal trespass), and 448 (punishment for house-trespass).
Deoghar DC writes to Cabinet-Coordination (Civil Aviation)
Meanwhile, Deoghar deputy commissioner, Manjunath Bhajantri, wrote a letter to the Principal Secretary, Cabinet-Coordination (Civil Aviation), Jharkhand, on Friday explaining the entire issue. In the letter, the DC said that the Deoghar airport is not yet fully functional and night landing is not allowed there yet.
“Also, on August 31, the local sunset timing was 18.03 hours… air services are to be conducted up to 17.30 hours. Dubey and others came inside the ATC room…the security in-charge said that the pilot and the passengers were pressuring for clearance to take off, which was given,” the letter said.
The letter stated that in view of this security protocol violation, necessary action may be taken to avoid such incidents in the future.
“The security in-charge has mentioned that he was shocked and alarmed due to the presence of passengers in the ATC room and such actions are a breach of airport security standards. Security in charge further noticed that the pilot and the passengers were pressurising that they may be given clearance for the take-off. As a result, the ATC clearance was given,” said the letter.
“It’s also requested that the incident may be reported further to AAI, DGCA, BCAS, Secy Gen, Lok Sabha and Defence Ministry,” it added.
Nishikant Dubey Denies Charges
On the other hand, Nishikant Dubey, BJP MP from Jharkhand’s Godda Lok Sabha Constituency, has filed a zero FIR against Deoghar DC in Delhi for obstructing his work. Talking to news agency ANI, Dubey said his delegation took the required permission for the journey.
“There is an FIR against the airport director itself….we didn’t violate any rules. ATC, bureau of civil aviation, DGCA no one is filing any complaint, only the airport director is doing so. We took permission from the required authorities. We went to get justice to Ankita (Dumka girl set ablaze)….we are ready to fight any cases filed,” he said.
Twitter war between Deoghar DC and Dubey
Following the incident, a war of words broke out between Deoghar deputy commissioner Bhajantri and Dubey on Twitter.
In a tweet, Manjunath claimed that the CCTV footage from August 31 showed many other people, apart from the passengers entering the STC building violating the security norms.
Countering DC’s tweet, Dubey accused him of breaching norms by entering the CCTV room and asked him who permitted him to do so.
“I had entered the Airport terminal after taking a legitimate entry pass. DC is also a Member of the Board of Directors of Deoghar Airport,” Manjunath said and asked who authorised Dubey to enter the ATC room.
Replying to this, the BJP MP claimed that as a chairman of the Airport Advisory Committee, he has the right to inspect and also he took the necessary permission from the Airport authorities. “I am in High Court fighting a case for your delay in facilitating night landing facilities. You are in contempt of court,” Nishikant Dubey tweeted past midnight on Friday.
Hon’ble MP Sir,
Night landing matter is subjudice, wud not like to comment on it.
But, when night landing facility/IFR is not there, and so many flights getting cancelled every other day, how did your chartered plane took off at 1817hours when the sunset time was 1803hours? https://t.co/tXozRRHXs8
— Manjunath Bhajantri IAS (@mbhajantri) September 2, 2022
Dubey also accused the DC of breaching national security. He cited the Supreme Court’s order on the use of CCTV footage and said, “The CCTV information sought by the appellant is not available with the CISF/ state police Moreover, CISF/ state police is not the holder of the information and is entrusted only for providing security cover at the Airport’. -Supreme Court.”</p>
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