New Delhi, Dec 6: Officials have indicated that at least 16 cases linked to threats against various airlines operating from Delhi may soon be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). According to sources, the Delhi Police has requested the city government’s home department to transfer these cases, which would then require final approval from the Union home ministry.
“These incidents pertain to national security and have international implications. All 16 cases were filed under the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Civil Aviation (SUA SCA) Act, warranting a more detailed investigation,” an official source stated.
Over the last two weeks of October, more than 510 domestic and international flights received bomb threats that were later confirmed to be hoaxes, creating significant operational disruptions and financial losses for airlines across India. Most threats originated via social media. In response to threats targeting over 150 flights from Delhi, the police registered 16 cases.
The initial case was logged on October 16 after a bomb threat was received on X targeting an Akasa Air flight bound for Bengaluru. The plane, carrying more than 180 passengers, was compelled to return to Delhi. The police at Indira Gandhi International Airport, in collaboration with the Cyber Cell and IFSO, have investigated the matter but have not yet identified any leads.
“The threat messages were dispatched using a VPN (Virtual Private Network), which has complicated efforts to trace their original source. Some messages appeared to originate from servers in European locations such as the UK and Germany,” another official noted.
The Delhi Police is also collaborating with central agencies to engage Interpol for further insights into the domains involved. As part of the investigation, they interrogated Jagdish Shriram Uikey, a 35-year-old man from Gondia, Maharashtra.
“Jagdish had emailed a central government minister claiming he had information about the sender. Upon investigation, this claim was deemed unfounded,” the source revealed. He alleged that the messages were sent by a terrorist group.
Jagdish, who completed up to 11th grade, has authored a book on terrorism titled “Atankwad-Ek Tufaani Rakshash,” the source added.
In light of the surge in hoax bomb threats during October, the IT ministry has mandated social media platforms to adhere to due diligence obligations and to swiftly eliminate or disable access to misinformation in accordance with stringent timelines outlined in IT regulations.
