Dubai police question Wadia for carrying gun

NEW DELHI: Bombay Dyeing chairman Nusli Wadia was detained by Dubai airport authorities for nearly four hours on Saturday last for carrying an undeclared firearm and cartridges aboard an Air India flight to Dubai.

The licensed pistol, which escaped security screening by Air India staff at Sahar International airport at Mumbai, was detected when his baggage was being screened at Dubai airport. The police immediately detained Mr Wadia and asked him to explain the presence of the firearm.

As per rules, a person cannot carry a licensed firearm out of India. The purview of the arms licence stops within the boundaries of the country. Even on domestic flights, if a weapon has to be carried by the passenger, he has to pack it in his registered baggage. He is also required to fill up a form declaring the firearm and satisfy the airline regarding the validity of its licence. Mr Wadia was let off by Dubai authorities after he produced the licence for the firearm and convinced them that he was unaware of its presence.

But what is intriguing is how the weapon went undetected during screening at the Sahar airport at Mumbai, from where Mr Wadia boarded the flight. As per rules, screening of registered baggage is the sole responsibility of the airline concerned.

A spokesperson for Mr Wadia here on Friday claimed the pistol was accidentally packed into the GoAir chief���s baggage. ���Mr Wadia was supposed to travel by another airline but could not take the flight and was booked on an Air India flight at the last minute. As he was going to the airport directly from his office, he had asked a domestic help to pack his baggage and reach it directly to the airport,��� the spokesperson said.

���The help reportedly made a mistake as there were two similar looking bags in the cupboard. One containing Mr Wadia���s toiletries and the other the pistol. The help mistakenly sent the bag with the gun and cartridges to the airport. Mr Wadia did not check the baggage before leaving for Dubai. It was purely a mistake. A freak accident,��� claimed the spokesperson.

It is not clear whether any penal action will be taken against Mr Wadia for carrying the weapon on an international flight. Interestingly, Air India is believed to have suspended two of its staff responsible for letting through Mr Wadia���s registered baggage without detecting the weapon.