Jharkhand: BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey & Manoj Tiwari Booked for Forcefully Entering the Air Traffic Control Room

Jharkhand Police has booked Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey, his two sons, MP Manoj Tiwari, and others for allegedly taking a forceful clearance from the Air Traffic Control for take-off. The incident happened at Deoghar airport on Wednesday, August 31.

The First Information Report (FIR), registered on September 1, on the complaint of security-in-charge Saman Anand, alleges that the MPs and their supporters barged into the ATC room and pressurised the officials present there for clearance to take off.

"Nine persons, including both the MPs — Nishikant Dubey and Manoj Tiwari — and the airport director were booked under IPC sections 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 447 (punishment for criminal trespass), 448 (punishment for house-trespass)," said Kunda police station in-charge Praveen Kumar.

On September 2, Deoghar DC wrote a letter to the Principal Secretary, Cabinet-Coordination (Civil Aviation), Jharkhand, to explain the incident. The letter states the sunset timing on August 21 was 18.03 hours, and air services had to be concluded by 17.30 hours. After the boarding, the plane's pilot came out and walked toward the ATC room.

"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.

It added that the security-in-charge was alarmed and shocked by the presence of passengers in the ATC rooms, a breach of airport security standards. The clearance was given under pressure from the pilot and the passengers, which included both BJP MP Dubey.

As the incident came to light, it sparked a Twitter war between Deoghar Deputy Commissioner Manjunath Bhajantri and Dubey. The latter alleged that Bhajantri had a case registered against him by the Delhi Police for "insulting the Constitution and under the Official Secrets Act, among others." As per Dubey, Bhajantri accessed the CCTV footage of the incident without permission.

"Law prevails in this country. Delhi Police has registered a case against DC Deoghar under IPC sections 124b [Whoever deliberately insults the book of the Constitution, the national flag, the national emblem or the national anthem, by burning, desecration or otherwise], 201[causing disappearance of evidence]…Officials secrets Act," Dubey said in his tweet.

In his response, Bhajantri said that he had entered the Airport terminal after taking a legitimate entry pass. He further asked for Dubey's authorisation to enter the ATC room. Additionally, he enquired how Dubey's two children and several supporters entered the ATC building.

On the question of the Delhi Police FIR against him, Bhajantri told The Indian Express that he hadn't been notified about the FIR.

"Earlier, the police had registered an FIR against him (Dubey) and others for going inside the ATC and forcefully getting a clearance," he said.