IndiGo hoax call: TN-based lawyer nabbed from Bihar

New Delhi: A Tamil Nadu-based lawyer, who allegedly made a hoax call last Tuesday about a bomb being planted on a Patna-bound IndiGo aircraft after he was late for the flight, has been arrested from Bihar, police said on Monday. "33-year-old Pramod S Elongan was arrested from Bihar`s Danapur Cantonment, where her wife is employed, on March 2," said J S Deswal DCP IGI Airport.

Elongan, a resident of Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu and a member of Madras Bar Association, had gone to Panipat for some work. He had booked a ticket on the IndiGo flight (6E-178) to Patna for February 26. But, when he got late to catch his flight while returning from Panipat, he allegedly made a call to the Delhi Police control room saying there was a bomb on the plane with an intention to delay its take off, which was scheduled at 12.15 PM. "Police arrested him after tracing his mobile number, which was of Tamil Nadu, to Danapur where his wife is employed," Deswal said. He was brought to Delhi on transit remand and would be produced in court, he added. The flight was delayed by over three hours as police and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) jumped into action after getting the call. The bomb disposal squad was pressed into service after deboarding all passengers and the plane was taken to a remote bay. After a search of over two hours, no bomb was found and the plane was declared safe. The flight finally took off at 3.40 PM. PTI