THE SUPPRESSION OF UNLAWFUL ACTS AGAINST  
SAFETY OF CIVIL AVIATION ACT, 1982 
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ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 
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CHAPTER I 

PRELIMINARY 

SECTIONS 

1.  Short title, extent, application and commencement. 
2.  Definitions. 

CHAPTER II 

OFFENCES 

3.  Offence of committing violence on board an aircraft in flight, etc. 

3A. Offence at airport. 
4.  Destruction of, or damage to, air navigation facilities. 
5.  Jurisdiction. 
5A. Conferment of powers of investigation, etc. 
5B. Designated Courts. 
5C. Offences triable by Designated Courts. 
5D. Application of the Code to proceedings before a Designated Court. 

CHAPTER III 
MISCELLANEOUS  

6.  Provisions as to extradition. 
 6A. Provision as to bail. 
7. Contracting parties to Convention. 
8. Power to treat certain aircraft to be registered in Convention countries. 
9. Previous sanction necessary for prosecution. 
9A. Presumptions as to offences under sections 3, 3A and 4. 
10.   Protection of action taken in good faith. 

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THE SUPPRESSION OF UNLAWFUL ACTS AGAINST  
SAFETY OF CIVIL AVIATION ACT, 1982 

ACT NO. 66 OF 1982 

[6th November, 1982.] 

An Act to give effect to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety 

of Civil Aviation and for matters connected therewith. 

WHEREAS  a  Convention  for  the  Suppression  of  Unlawful  Acts against  the  Safety  of  Civil  Aviation 

was, on the 23rd day of September, 1971, signed at Montreal; 

AND  WHEREAS it is expedient that India should accede to the said Convention and make provisions 

for giving effect thereto and for matters connected therewith; 

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Thirty-third Year of the Republic of India as follows:— 

CHAPTER I 

PRELIMINARY 

1.  Short  title,  extent,  application  and  commencement.—(1)  This  Act  may  be  called  the 

Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Civil Aviation Act, 1982. 

(2) It extends to the whole of India and, save as otherwise provided in this Act, it applies also to any 

offence under section 3 committed outside India by any person. 

(3)  It  shall  come  into  force  on  such  date1 as  the  Central  Government  may,  by  notification  in  the 

Official Gazette, appoint. 

2. Definitions.—(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,— 

(a)  “aircraft”  means  any  aircraft,  whether  or  not  registered  in  India,  other  than  a  military 

aircraft or an aircraft used in customs or police service; 

(b)  “aircraft  registered  in  India”  means an aircraft  which  is  for  the time  being  registered in 

India; 

2[(bb) “airport” means an aerodrome as defined in clause (2) of section 2 of the Aircraft Act, 

1934 (22 of 1934);] 

(c) “Convention country” means a country in which the Montreal Convention is for the time 

being in force; 

(d)  “military  aircraft”  means  an  aircraft  of  the naval,  military,  air  force  or  any other  armed 
forces of any country and includes every aircraft commanded for the time being by a person in 
such force detailed for the purpose; 

(e)  “Montreal  Convention”  means  the  Convention  for  the  Suppression  of  Unlawful  Acts 

against the Safety of Civil Aviation signed at Montreal on the 23rd day of September, 1971. 

(2) For the purposes of this Act,— 

(a) an aircraft shall be deemed to be in flight at any time from the moment when all its external 
doors  are  closed  following  embarkation  until  the  moment  when  any  such  door  is  opened  for 
disembarkation, and in the case of a forced landing, the flight shall be deemed to continue until the 

1. 15th November 1982, vide notification No. S.O. 799(E), dated 12th November 1982, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary,     

Part II, sec. 3(ii). 

2. Ins. by Act 40 of 1994, s. 2 (w.e.f. 19-9-1996). 

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competent  authorities  of  the  country  in  which  such  forced  landing  takes  place  take  over  the 
responsibility for the aircraft and for persons and property on board; 

(b) an aircraft shall be deemed to be in service from the beginning of the pre-flight preparation of 
the aircraft by the ground staff or by the crew for a specific flight until twenty-four hours after any 
landing and the period of such service shall include the entire period during which the aircraft is in 
flight. 

CHAPTER II 

OFFENCES 

3.  Offence  of  committing  violence  on  board  an  aircraft  in flight,  etc.—(1) Whoever  unlawfully 

and intentionally— 

(a) commits an act of violence against a person on board an aircraft in flight which is likely to 

endanger the safety of such aircraft; or 

(b) destroys an aircraft in service or causes damage to such aircraft in such a manner as to render 

it incapable of flight or which is likely to endanger its safety in flight; or 

(c) places or causes to be placed on an aircraft in service, by any means whatsoever, a device or 
substance which is likely to destroy that aircraft, or to cause damage to it which renders it incapable 
of flight, or to cause damage to it which is likely to endanger its safety in flight; or 

(d) communicates such information which he knows to be false so as to endanger the safety of an 

aircraft in flight, 

shall be punished with imprisonment for life and shall also be liable to fine. 

(2) Whoever attempts to commit, or abets the commission of, any offence under sub-section (1) shall 
also be deemed to be have committed such offence and shall be punished with the punishment provided 
for such offence. 

1[3A.  Offence  at  airport.—(1)  Whoever,  at  any  airport,  unlawfully  and  intentionally,  using  any 

device, substance or weapon,— 

(a) commits an act of violence which is likely to cause grievous hurt or death of any person; or 

(b) destroys or seriously damages any aircraft or facility at an airport or disrupts any service at the 

airport, 

endangering or threatening to endanger safety at that airport, shall be punished with imprisonment for life 
and shall also be liable to fine. 

(2) Whoever attempts to commit, or abets the commission of, any offence under sub-section (1) shall 
also be deemed to have committed such offence and shall be punished with the punishment provided for 
such offence.] 

4.  Destruction  of,  or  damage  to,  air  navigation  facilities.—(1)  Whoever  unlawfully  and 
intentionally  destroys  or  damages  air  navigation  facilities  or  interferes  with  their  operation  in  such  a 
manner as is likely to endanger the safety of the aircraft in flight shall be punished with imprisonment for 
life and shall also be liable to fine. 

(2) Whoever attempts to commit, or abets the commission of, any offence under sub-section (1) shall 
also be deemed to have committed such offence and shall be punished with the punishment provided for 
such offence. 

1. Ins. by Act 40 of 1994, s. 3 (w.e.f. 19-9-1996). 

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5. Jurisdiction.—(1) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (2), where an offence under section 3 is 
committed outside India, the person committing such offence may be dealt with in respect thereof as if 
such offence had been committed at any place within India at which he may be found. 

(2)  No  court  shall  take  cognizance  of  an  offence  punishable  under  section  3  which  is  committed 

outside India unless— 

(a) such offence is committed on board an aircraft registered in India; 

(b)  such  offence  is  committed  on  board  an  aircraft  which  is  for  the  time  being  leased  without 
crew to a lessee who has his principal place of business, or where he has no such place of business, 
his permanent residence in India; or 

(c) the alleged offender is a citizen of India or is on board the aircraft in relation to which such 

offence is committed when it lands in India or is found in India. 
1[5A. Conferment of powers of investigation, etc.—(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the 
Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), for the purposes of this Act, the Central Government may, 
by notification in the Official Gazette, confer on any officer of the Central Government, powers of arrest, 
investigation and prosecution exercisable by a police officer under the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. 

(2) All officers of police and all officers of Government are hereby required and empowered to assist 
the officer of the Central Government referred to in sub-section (1), in the execution of the provisions of 
this Act. 

5B.  Designated  Courts.—(1)  For  the  purpose  of  providing  for  speedy  trial,  the  State  Government 
shall, with the concurrence of the Chief Justice of the High Court, by notification in the Official Gazette, 
specify  a  Court  of  Session  to  be  a  Designated  Court  for  such  area  or  areas  as  may  be  specified  in  the 
notification. 

(2)  Notwithstanding  anything  contained  in  the  Code  of  Criminal  Procedure,  1973  (2  of  1974),  a 

Designated Court shall, as far as practicable, hold the trial on a day-to-day basis. 

5C. Offences triable by Designated Courts.—(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code 

of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974),— 

(a)  all  offences  under  this  Act  shall  be  triable  only  by  the  Designated  Court  specified  under            

sub-section (1) of section 5B; 

(b)  where  a  person  accused  of  or  suspected  of  the  commission  of  an  offence  under  this  Act  is 
forwarded  to  a  Magistrate  under  sub-section  (2)  or  sub-section  (2A)  of  section  167  of  the  Code  of 
Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), such Magistrate may authorise the detention of such person in 
such  custody  as  he  thinks  fit  for  a  period  not  exceeding  fifteen  days  in  the  whole  where  such 
Magistrate  is  a  Judicial  Magistrate  and  seven  days  in  the  whole  where  such  Magistrate  is  an 
Executive Magistrate: 

Provided that where such Magistrate considers,— 

(i) when such person is forwarded to him as aforesaid; or 

(ii) upon or at any time before the expiry of the period of detention authorised by him, 

that  the  detention of such person  is  unnecessary,  he shall  order  such person to be  forwarded to the 
Designated Court having jurisdiction; 

(c) the Designated Court may exercise, in relation to the person forwarded to it under clause (b), 
the same power which a Magistrate having jurisdiction to try a case may exercise under section 167 

1. Ins. by Act 40 of 1994, s. 4 (w.e.f. 19-9-1996). 

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of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973  (2 of 1974)  in relation to an accused person in such case 
who has been forwarded to him under that section; 

(d)  a  Designated  Court  may,  upon  a  perusal  of  a  complaint  made  by  an  officer  of  the  Central 
Government or the State Government, as the case may be, authorised in this behalf, take cognizance 
of that offence without the accused being committed to it for trial. 

(2) When trying an offence under this Act, a Designated Court may also try an offence other than an 

offence  under  this  Act,  with  which  the  accused  may,  under  the  Code  of  Criminal  Procedure,  1973              
(2 of 1974), be charged at the same trial. 

5D.  Application  of  the  Code  to  proceedings  before  a  Designated  Court.—Save  as  otherwise 
provided in this Act, the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973(2 of 1974)  shall apply to 
the proceedings before a Designated Court and the person conducting a prosecution before a Designated 
Court shall be deemed to be a Public Prosecutor.] 

CHAPTER III 

MISCELLANEOUS 

6. Provisions as to extradition.—(1) The offences under section 3 and section 4 shall be deemed to 
have been included as extraditable offences and provided for in all the extradition treaties made by India 
with Convention countries and which extend to, and are binding on, India on the date of commencement 
of this Act. 

(2) For the purposes of the application of the Extradition Act, 1962 (34 of 1962) to offences under 
this Act, any aircraft registered in a Convention country shall, at any time while that aircraft is in flight, 
be deemed to be within the jurisdiction of that country, whether or not it is for the time being also within 
the jurisdiction of any other country. 

1[6A.  Provision  as  to  bail.—(1)  Notwithstanding  anything  contained  in  the  Code  of  Criminal 
Procedure,  1973  (2  of  1974),  no  person  accused  of  an  offence  punishable  under  this  Act  shall,  if  in 
custody, be released on bail or on his own bond unless— 

(a)  the  Public  Prosecutor  has  been  given  an  opportunity  to  oppose  the  application  for  such 

release; and 

(b)  where  the  Public  Prosecutor  opposes  the  application,  the  court  is  satisfied  that  there  are 
reasonable  grounds  for  believing  that  he  is  not  guilty  of  such  offence  and  that  he  is  not  likely  to 
commit any offence while on bail. 

(2) The limitations on granting of bail specified in sub-section (1) are in addition to the limitations 
under the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974) or any other law for the time being in force on 
granting of bail. 

(3) Nothing contained in this section shall be deemed to affect the special powers of the High Court 

regarding bail under section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974).] 

7.  Contracting  parties  to  Convention.—The  Central  Government  may,  by  notification  in  the 
Official  Gazette,  certify  as  to  who  are  the  contracting  parties  to  the  Montreal  Convention  and  to  what 
extent they have availed themselves of the provisions of the Convention, and any such  notification shall 
be conclusive evidence of the matters certified therein. 

8.  Power  to  treat  certain  aircraft  to  be  registered  in  Convention  countries.—If  the  Central 
Government is satisfied that the requirements of Article 9 of the Montreal Convention have been satisfied 
in relation to any aircraft, it may, by notification in the Official Gazette, direct that such aircraft shall, for 

1. Ins. by Act 40 of 1994, s. 5 (w.e.f. 19-9-1996). 

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the purposes of this Act, be treated as registered in such Convention country as may be specified in the 
notification. 

9.  Previous  sanction  necessary  for  prosecution.—No  prosecution  for  an  offence  under  this  Act 

shall be instituted except with the previous sanction of the Central Government. 

1[9A.  Presumptions  as to  offences  under  sections  3,  3A  and  4.—In  a  prosecution for  an  offence 

under sections 3, 3A and 4, if it is proved— 

(a) that the arms, ammunition or explosives were recovered from the possession of the accused 
and there is reason to believe that such arms, ammunition or explosives of similar nature were used in 
the commission of such offence; or 

(b) that there is evidence of violence committed by the accused against any person in connection 

with the commission of such offence, 

the Designated Court shall presume, unless the contrary is proved that the accused had committed such 
offence.] 

10.  Protection  of  action  taken  in  good  faith.—(1)  No  suit,  prosecution  or  other  legal  proceeding 
shall lie against any person for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done in pursuance 
of the provisions of this Act. 

(2) No suit or other legal proceeding shall lie against the Central Government for any damage caused 
or likely to be caused for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done in pursuance of the 
provisions of this Act. 

1. Ins. by Act 40 of 1994, s. 6 (w.e.f. 19-9-1996). 

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