Judicial custody for air passenger

KOCHI: The air passenger, whose claim of having explosives onboard a Mumbai-bound Jet Airways flight led to a nearly six-hour delay in its departure from here on Tuesday, has been remanded in judicial custody for two weeks.

 Joseph alias Fischer was produced before the Aluva Judicial First Class Magistrate late on Wednesday night. He was charged for the offences under the Indian Passport Act for forgery, Indian Aircraft rules, for threatening the crew and passengers and disorderly behaviour endangering the lives of passengers and crew and IPC offence for intimidation.

 Saji Kurien of Mazhavanoor, a friend of Joseph, who was also taken into custody, was, however, released as he was found to have no role in the incident. Joseph is a doctor working in Uganda and had come to visit Saji Kurien.

 After Joseph, who had boarded the flight, told the airhostess that he had explosives, all 91 passengers and their luggage were off-loaded.  Police conducted a thorough search. No explosives were found.