Bomb threats received for 30 flights; 3 IndiGo flights diverted to airports in Middle East
New Delhi (PTI): As many as 30 domestic and international flights operated by Indian airlines received bomb threats on Monday night, with three Jeddah-bound IndiGo flights getting diverted to airports in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
The flights of IndiGo, Vistara and Air India were among those that received the bomb threats, sources in the know said.
In little over a week, more than 120 flights operated by Indian carriers have received bomb threats.
IndiGo's ten flights received security-related alerts and passengers from the respective aircraft disembarked safely, an airline spokesperson said on Tuesday.
The flight 6E 77 (Bengaluru to Jeddah) was diverted to Doha, 6E 65 (Kozhikode to Jeddah) was diverted to Riyadh, and 6E 63 (Delhi to Jeddah) was redirected to Medina.
Jeddah, Riyadh and Medina are Saudi Arabian cities, and the Doha is the capital of Qatar.
The other flights of IndiGo that received threats were 6E 83 (Delhi to Dammam), 6E 18 (Istanbul to Mumbai), 6E 12 (Istanbul to Delhi), 6E 164 (Mangaluru to Mumbai), 6E 75, (Ahmedabad to Jeddah), 6E 67 (Hyderabad to Jeddah) and 6E 118 (Lucknow to Pune), according to separate statements from the airline.
The sources said that at least 30 flight received the bomb threats on Monday night.
An Air India spokesperson confirmed that some Air India flights that operated on Monday were subject to security threats received on social media.
"Following the laid down protocols, relevant authorities were immediately alerted, and all security procedures strictly adhered to, as per guidance from the regulatory authorities and security agencies," the spokesperson said in a statement.
The airline did not mention details or the number of flights that had received the threats.
A Vistara spokesperson said a few of its flights that operated on Monday received security threats on social media.
"We immediately alerted the relevant authorities and are following all security procedures as directed by them," the spokesperson said in a statement.
Specific details were not disclosed.
Even though bomb threats are hoaxes, things cannot be taken non-seriously, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu had said on Monday.
Meanwhile, the government is planning legislative actions to deal with bomb threats to airlines, including placing the perpetrators in the no-fly list.
Amendments are being proposed to The Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Civil Aviation Act (SUASCA), 1982 whereby the perpetrators could be arrested and probe can be initiated without a court order for offences when an aircraft is on the ground.
Also, changes are being planned to aircraft security rules to ensure stringent punishment for perpetrators of bomb threats to flights.
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SEBI notice to Adani firm over alleged wrongful categorisation of shareholding
New Delhi, Oct 22: Adani Energy Solutions Ltd (AESL), the power transmission arm of the Adani group, on Tuesday said it has received a notice from SEBI alleging wrongful categorisation of certain investors as public shareholders.
Without giving details, the firm in notes to its second-quarter earnings statement said it will respond to regulatory and statutory authorities by providing relevant information/clarifications.
The group's renewable energy firm, Adani Green Energy Ltd, which also declared its second quarter earnings, did not receive any new notice from SEBI.
"During the current quarter, an SCN (show-cause notice) has been received alleging wrongful categorization of shareholding of certain entities as public shareholding and consequences therefrom," AESL said. "The company will respond to the regulatory and statutory authorities by providing information, responses, documents and/or clarifications, as applicable, in the due course of time."
SEBI's listing rule provides for listed firms having a minimum of 25 per cent of equity owned by public investors. Foreign portfolio investors having links to the promoter group are generally clubbed as promoter holding.
Seven out of the 10 listed firms of Adani group had received show cause notices from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for alleged violation of related party transactions and non-compliance with listing regulations in the quarter ended March 31, the companies had stated in their regulatory filings to stock exchanges.
While group's flagship Adani Enterprises Ltd, renewable energy firm Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL) and city gas distributor Adani Total Gas Ltd in May stated that SEBI sent notices to their parent or holding company controlled by the conglomerate's chairman Gautam Adani, ports company Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone, Adani Power, electricity transmission firm Adani Energy Solutions, and commodities firm Adani Wilmar had said they have received SEBI notices.
The SEBI notices were part of a probe that followed US short-seller Hindenburg Research making damning allegations of corporate fraud and stock price manipulation against the Adani Group in January 2023. Though Adani vehemently denied all allegations, the report triggered a stock rout that wiped out about USD 150 billion of the group's market value at its lowest point.
Most of the group stocks have bounced back as the ports-to-energy conglomerate plotted a comeback strategy.
A show cause notice is not an indictment and seeks an explanation from entities as to why legal action should not be taken against them.
AGEL in the filing said a short-seller's report (SSR) made certain allegations against some of the Adani Group companies.
The matter went to the Supreme Court (SC), which observed that SEBI was investigating the matter while also constituting an Expert Committee to investigate as well as suggest measures to strengthen existing laws and regulations.
The Expert Committee in its May 6, 2023, report found no regulatory failure in respect of applicable laws and regulations. The SEBI also concluded its investigations in 22 of the 24 matters as per the status report dated August 25, 2023, to the SC.
On January 3, 2024, the SC disposed of all matters in various petitions, including those relating to separate independent investigations relating to the allegations in the SSR. Further, the SC directed SEBI to complete the pending two investigations, preferably within three months, and take its investigations (including 22 already completed) to their logical conclusion in accordance with the law.
During the quarter ended March 31, 2024, the holding company received a show cause notice from the SEBI relating to the validity of Peer Review Certificate (PRC) of one of the joint auditors in earlier financial years, which the holding company has responded to.
