Indian businessman faces flight ban after planting bomb threat on aircraft

A businessman in India is facing an air travel ban after he planted a bomb threat on a domestic flight.

The Mumbai-Delhi Jet Airways flight made an emergency landing on Monday in the western city of Ahmedabad after a note was found in the plane's toilet claiming there were hijackers and a bomb onboard.

Police detained Birju Kishore Salla, a Mumbai-based jewellery businessman from Gujarat, for the alleged threat, according to the local media.

The Boeing 737-900 plane was carrying 115 passengers and seven crew members.

"I am advising airlines to put him on the no-fly list immediately, in addition to other statutory criminal action," Indian Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said.

The printed note in Urdu and English stated that there were 12 hijackers and a bomb was placed in the cargo section.

The airline said the flight was diverted following "declaration of an emergency as per established security procedures, due to the detection of an onboard security threat."

-- BERNAMA