UK ‘plane-spotters’ moved to Lampur centre, no case yet

New Delhi: Two days after two British ‘plane-spotters’ were detained for “suspicious activities”, the police on Wednesday sent them to the Lampur detention centre for foreigners.
According to sources, the police have been unable to book them under any section of either the Indian Wireless Act or Aircraft Act since no agency has lodged a complaint.
Sources said the police now plan to book Stephen Hampston and Steve Martin under Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), which allows an officer with magisterial powers to arrest a person for “potential to cause unrest or danger to peace and tranquility”.
Under this, a person can be jailed for up to six months.
Officials said nothing suspicious has so far emerged in their call details, or in their movement in India.
An officer said they could have been booked under Wireless Act only if they had transmitted information collected on aircraft. “But they only received it, or we can say they collected it for their own use,” the officer said. “The activity also does not fall in the ambit of Aircraft Act.
Sources said the British authorities have given a clearance to Hampston and Martin on their antecedents in London, where they live — the duo has told police they are employed with London railways and are plane-spotting enthusiasts who travel to various countries to pursue this hobby.
18/02/10 Indian Express

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Categories: Airports Feb 2010, Foreign Feb 2010