GG News Bureau
Deoghar, 3rd September. The Deoghar Police in Jharkhand have filed a FIR against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, his two sons, MP Manoj Tiwari, and the Deoghar airport director, among nine other people. They allege that they entered the Deoghar Airport’s Air Traffic Control (ATC) room without permission and exerted pressure on officials to allow takeoff on August 31 in spite of the fact that there is no night take-off or landing facility there.
On September 1, a FIR was filed at Kunda police station on the complaint of security in-charge Suman Anand, who stated that the alleged perpetrators violated all safety standards by entering the ATC room and forcing the officials for clearance to take-off.
According to the complaint filed by the security in-charge, “nine people Nishikant Dubey, Kanishk Kant Dubey, Mahikant Dubey, Manoj Tiwari, Member of Parliament, Kapil Mishra, Sheshadri Dubey Sunil Tiwari and Others had come to Deoghar by chartered plane at 1 pm on August 31. During his return in the evening, others including Dubey forcibly entered the ATC room.”
According to the complaint letter, passengers arrived at the airport around 17:25 hrs to board their chartered plane. They were accompanied by others who had come to see them off.
The security in-charge also states in his letter that Deoghar airport does not have an IFR facility, which means that night takeoff and landing is not available.
On August 31, the local sunset timing was 18.03 hours… air services are to be conducted up to 17.30 hours.
“When I went into the ATC control room and noticed therein that Director of Airport Sandeep Dhingra and the pilot of chartered Plane were already present in the Control Room. As the Sunset time on August 31 was 18:03 Hrs and that may be the reason the above mentioned chartered plane was denied clearance for takeoff by ATC,” the complaint reads.
“The above-mentioned pilot was persuading the Airport Director Sandeep Dhingra and the ATC staff for clearance, citing that passengers had to return that day itself. The staff at ATC were communicating over mobile for takeoff clearance,” it added.
The security officer in charge stated that the presence of passengers in the ATC Room shocked and alarmed him, and that such actions violate airport security standards.
“Security in-charge further noticed that the pilot and the passengers were pressurizing that they may be given clearance for the takeoff. As a result, ATC clearance was given. After that, the passengers and the pilot came out of the ATC Control Room, walked towards the chartered plane, onboarded it. The plane took-off thereafter,” the complaint letter added.
Meanwhile, Deoghar Deputy Commissioner explained the entire situation in a letter to the Principal Secretary, Cabinet-Coordination (Civil Aviation), Jharkhand.
“BJP MP Nishikant Dubey along with others entering ATC at Deoghar Airport without permission and creating pressure over officials for takeoff clearance on August 31. In view of this security protocol violation, it may be noted that necessary action may be taken to avoid such incidents in the future. It’s also requested that the incident may be reported further to AAI, DGCA, BCAS, Secy Gen, Lok Sabha and Defence Ministry,” the Commissioner said.
Nishikant Dubey and Manoj Tiwari of the BJP went to see the family members of the Dumka girl who was set ablaze by a stalker.
Furthermore, the incident sparked a Twitter war between Deoghar Deputy Commissioner Manjunath Bhajantri and Nishikant Dubey. Manjunath claimed that CCTV footage showed that, in addition to the passengers, many other people entered the STC building on August 31, violating security protocols.
The Airport Authority directed the airport director to make the necessary arrangements for night landing and night take-off, as these services are not yet available at the airport.
In response to Manjunath’s tweet, Nishikant Dubey asked how he checked the CCTV footage going inside the airport.
“This is the style of a criminal who forcibly breaks through the security cordon without permission. In what capacity did you enter the airport? Who gave you permission to watch CCTV?” he said.
To this, Manjunath said, “I had entered the Airport terminal after taking a legitimate entry pass. DC is also a Member on the Board of Directors of Deoghar Airport.”
He inquired as to who gave Nishikant Dubey permission to enter the ATC room. Nishikant Dubey stated that as chairman of the Airport Advisory Committee, he has the authority to inspect and that he obtained the necessary permission from 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.
“But, when the 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?” Manjunath said.
“I’d suggest you to study aviation rules again. As an IAS officer, the nation expects better from you. Now the matter is under investigation at all possible levels, please comment further only after reading aviation and airport rules carefully henceforth,” Dubey replied.
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