US national detained at Chennai airport for carrying satellite phone

Chennai: A United States (US) citizen was detained at Chennai International Airport on Sunday.

Airport officials told IANS that the US national was detained for carrying a satellite phone which is not allowed for personal use in India and is banned during travel through Indian airports.

As per rules set by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and Union Home Ministry, satellite phones are banned in India for personal use.

This is after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack in which the terror modules and handlers across the border had used satellite phones.

Satellite phones are permitted only with specific permission from the Department of Telecommunications, Government of India.

The US national, David (55) was to travel to Singapore by an early morning flight. However, CISF personnel on security duty detected a satellite phone in his procession and hence he was detained at the airport.

He was handed over to the Airport Police for questioning. According to airport authority officials, the US citizen stated that he had flown down from the United States to New Delhi and then he flew to Andamans but was not questioned anywhere.

However, the Airport Police confiscated his phone and he was detained as per the rules of the BCAS.

The passenger does not have a No Objection certificate (NOC) issued by the department and phones are liable to be confiscated.

It may be recalled that after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, India has upped its security apparatus and has made several rules which include a ban on using satellite phones without prior permission.