Dr 'missile man' Kalam frisked at airport

NEW DELHI: In an outrageous incident, former President A P J Abdul Kalam, who is exempt from security checks, was frisked by the ground staff of American airliner Continental Airlines at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) when he was travelling to the US. This led to an uproar in Parliament, forcing the government to ordering a probe and filing a FIR against the airline.

Responding to demands for immediate action against the airline, civil aviation minister Praful Patel said a notice has been issued to the US based airline under Section 11A of the Aircraft Act for willful violation of law.

���The frisking was absolutely unpardonable,��� Mr Patel said. ���Action will be taken in accordance with the sentiments of the house.��� ���The frisking or action per se was absolutely wrong. The former president and other such dignitaries are exempt from such frisking,��� Mr Patel pointed out.

Mr Patel���s statement came after members cutting across the party lines, expressed displeasure over the treatment meted out to the former President. Mr Kalam was reportedly subjected to full body search. He was also asked to remove his footwear by the staff of Continental Airlines. As per Indian law, the former President and other such dignitaries are exempted from security checking.

Mr Kalam���s office, however, said that the former president didn���t have any problems with frisking. ���He did not complain when he was frisked and took in his stride. Everyone was being checked and so was he,��� said Mr Kalam���s personal secretary H Sheridan.

After Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley raised the issue in the House during zero hour, deputy chairman K Rahman Khan said: ���It is the unanimous sentiment of the House that this is a very serious matter. I hope the government will take note and take appropriate action.��� Mr Patel denied reports that security operations at the airport had been outsourced.

CPM leader Sitaram Yechury, SP member Ram Gopal Yadav, BJP���s Prakash Javadekar, CPI���s D Raja and Maitreyan of the AIADMK too condemned the incident.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police registered a case against employees of Continental Airlines for frisking Mr Kalam in violation of Indian laws. ���We have received a complaint and have registered a case,��� Joint Commissioner of Police Satyendra Garg said.

It was not immediately clear under which section of law the case was registered and how many people were named in the first information report (FIR) registered at the Indira Gandhi International Airport police station.
But highly placed sources said the case has been registered under the omnibus Aircraft Act.

Continental Airlines said in a statement that it was bound to follow aviation rules. ���As all carriers flying to the USA, Continental must follow the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) procedures. TSA requirements impose a final security check in the aerobridge just before boarding the aircraft. This procedure is followed by all carriers flying to the US,��� it said.

This is not for the first time an Indian VIP has been frisked at an airport. Last year, the then external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee was frisked at Moscow airport. In 2003, the then defence minister George Fernandes was also made to undergo security screening in the US.