File photo of Parliament House.
A comprehensive anti-hijack bill that provides for death penalty for hijackers even in the event of on-ground staff casualties was on Wednesday approved by the Union Cabinet which also widened the definition of this crime.
Almost 16 years after an Indian Airlines aircraft was hijacked in Kandahar, the tough measures were cleared by the Cabinet at its meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi through amendments in the Anti-Hijacking Bill, 2014.
In the earlier Bill, hijackers could be tried for death penalty only in the event of death of hostages, such as flight crew, passengers and security personnel.
Besides broadening the definition of hijacking, the Anti-Hijacking Bill, 2015 also provides for an enhanced punishment to the perpetrators as well as the area of jurisdiction, official sources said.
"Following the amendments, the perpetrators of the act (hijacking) would now be punishable with death penalty where such an act result in the death of any person. It also provides for confiscation of movable and immovable properties of the offenders," they said.
The definition of hijacking has been widened to include in its purview individuals acting in concert with hijackers.
The Anti-Hijacking Bill 2014, introduced in Rajya Sabha in December last, was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture.
The parliamentary panel submitted its report in March this year, wherein it had suggested various changes including making hoax calls a punishable offence and providing adequate compensation for victims of hijacking.
The committee had also asked the government to look at adequate definition of the terms 'hostage' and 'security personnel'.