BENGALURU: A 47-year-old engineer from Maharashtra, who created panic inside Terminal 2 of the Kempegowda International Airport by falsely claiming to have a bomb in his baggage when it was being scanned, was not allowed to board his flight. An FIR was filed against Sanjay Pai on Friday (April 5) for disturbing public peace.
The case was filed a week after the incident as court permission was required to go ahead with booking the case under the stringent non-bailable Section 505 (1) (b) of IPC. It deals with spreading rumours/statements made with the intention of causing fear or alarm and disturbing public tranquillity, states the FIR copy.
Pai, a native of Sohanipat in Thane, was to board an Air Indian Express flight from Bengaluru to Pune on March 28. “The incident occurred near the checking counter of E-9 post 10 pm when the baggage scanning was carried out before the departure of I5 829 flight from Bengaluru,” said the report.
When the checking of Pai’s baggage was being done by the executive at the airline kiosk, he claimed loudly, “There is a bomb in my baggage,” leaving those standing in the queue shocked.
Samruddhi, who was on duty at that time, immediately alerted the Central Industrial Security Force personnel nearby who then took over. Pai was detained at the airport, thoroughly checked and his baggage re-checked fully and it was found out to be fake. He was not allowed to fly.
Samruddhi later filed a complaint at the BIAL police station. The complaint was presented before the Judicial Magistrate First Class court at Devanahalli and permission taken to file the FIR. It was finally filed on Friday by assistant manager, security, Airport Operations Agnimitra Bahinipati. The offence under this specific section invites a three-year imprisonment or fine or both.