Hindustan
Times: New Delhi: Sunday, November 11, 2012.
Both, the
Union home ministry and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) have
refused to provide file notings that led to the waiving off of pre-embarkation
security checks to businessman Robert Vadra and Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai
Lama which is still in force. The MHA gave a contradictory reply when it said
on one hand that the matter may be examined in consultation with other central
security agencies, on the other hand, it declined outright the sought
information as being exempt under Section 24 (1) of the RTI Act.
“It is
surprising how providing free and privileged access to some selected persons
including certain individuals without any security checks can prejudicially
affect security,” said RTI activist Subhash Agrawal.
The BCAS also
refused to provide a copy of the 2009 order and other related and sought
documents on the ground that they were restricted documents relating to civil
aviation security which is not open to public on security grounds and exempted
under Section 8 (1) (a) of the RTI Act.
Meanwhile
Agrawal is awaiting information from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation
sought on the basis of a media report that an Airbus 380 was towed away after
its maiden landing in Delhi airport in October 2008 to facilitate a test flight
of the business-class Falcon 900EX by Vadra.
Vadra, a
businessman and son-in-law of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, has been in the
news because of allegations by activist-turned politician Arvind Kejriwal that
he engaged in profitable land deals which benefited private companies on a quid
pro quo basis.
In 2005, the
government had prepared a list of individuals who are exempt from security
frisking in airports. The list includes the President, the Prime Minister,
former presidents and PMs and SPG protectees besides Supreme Court judges etc.
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