Police arrested a male passenger travelling on a Mumbai-bound Vistara flight at Delhi airport following a complaint by a co-passenger. The female passenger on the flight complained that she heard the man talk about a bomb over the phone, according to a report by ANI. The man was later identified as Azeem Khan of Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh. After the woman raised a complaint to the crew members, the accused was apprehended by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and was later arrested by Delhi Police. However, the police after investigation issued a notice and allowed the accused to go as nothing suspicious was found on him, reported news agency ANI.
Delhi Police said the incident took place on Wednesday (June 7) but nothing was found after the investigation. However, on Friday, they added, “If needed, he will have to join the investigation in future.”
The passenger told the crew members that the male passenger was talking to someone on the phone and said, "CISF could not detect the bomb that was in my bag,” the sources said as reported by PTI.
After the incident, the overall security apparatus was also put on an "alert" mode.
A designated committee of multiple security, intelligence, airport operations and aviation agencies was convened at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport to ascertain this claim made by the woman passenger on flight no UK-941 (Delhi to Mumbai).
Officials later declared the threat as "non-specific" or hoax and the flight with 163 passengers on board, which was delayed for about two hours due to the incident, was allowed to depart for Mumbai.
According to PTI, the male passenger was booked under sections 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) and 268 (public nuisance) of the Indian Penal Code.