Deoghar DC charged with sedition on BJP MP Dubey’s complaint amid airport ATC entry row
The Delhi Police on Saturday registered a Zero FIR against Deoghar deputy commissioner Manjunath Bhajantri and slapped charges of sedition and other sections on a complaint by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey. The complaint was registered at the North Avenue Police Station.
Charges were pressed under sections of the Indian Penal Code and Officials Secrets Act.
This comes after a row erupted over an FIR that was registered against Dubey and nine others, including MP Manoj Tiwari for barging into Deoghar’s air traffic control room for allegedly forcing officials to clear their chartered flight earlier this week.
The BJP leaders allegedly put pressure on ATC officials to provide clearance for their chartered flight to take off from Deoghar airport beyond the scheduled time on August 31.
All the nine people were booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code besides the Aircraft Act, officials said. Besides Dubey and Tiwari, the airport director Sandeep Dhingra was named in the FIR.
The incident happened when the BJP MPs were returning to Delhi after meeting family members of a minor girl who was burnt alive in Dumka.
Earlier in the day, Dubey and Bhajantri accused each other of violating norms in the ATC room.
Dubey questioned the DC’s authority to enter the ATC room and having access to CCTV footage. In a tweet, Dubey wrote “This act is similar to that of a criminal that you (DC Bhajantri) entered the premises without permission. In what capacity did you enter the airport? Who gave you the permission to see CCTV footages? You are frustrated. Continue to take orders from the CM.”
The IAS officer replied, “Hon’ble MP Sir, I had entered the Airport terminal after taking legitimate entry pass. DC is also a Member on the Board of Directors of Deoghar Airport.”
Dubey later said he has got an FIR registered in Delhi against the Deoghar DC under the Official Secrets Act and various sections of the IPC. He also asked if Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren had given the DC a contract to “abuse central government establishment”.
“The airport authority which is operating the airport @aaideoghar has a case against director Sandeep Dhingra. I have asked for CCTV in which DC Deoghar is threatening Dhingra. Has Hemant Soren given contract to abuse central government establishment,” the MP further tweeted.
On September 2, Bhajantri in a letter to the principal secretary, cabinet-coordination (civil aviation), Jharkhand, said that after boarding the plane, the pilot came out of the plane and started walking towards the ATC.
He said that on August 31, the local sunset timing was 6.03pm, while the chartered flight took off at 6.17pm when air services are to be conducted up to 5.30pm at the Deoghar airport.