Mumbai: Passenger's bag catches fire at airport, unfolds smuggling conspiracy

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A major security scare incident unfolded at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Terminal-2) in Mumbai on the morning of August 16, when a passenger's bag caught fire due to a flammable substance. The police are now investigating a smuggling conspiracy into the matter, an official said.

The incident involved Ethiopian Airlines flight ET-641 bound for Addis Ababa.

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"The fire was quickly extinguished, but it led to the discovery of a larger conspiracy. The passenger, identified as Sameer Narayanchandra Biswas, 32, was found to be carrying the flammable substance with the intent to transport it on the flight. The Sahar Police Station responded promptly to the scene, and an investigation revealed a criminal plot involving multiple individuals," said Madhukar Sonawane, Senior PI, Sahar Police Station.

According to the police, "Biswas, along with his accomplices - Nandan Dinesh Yadav, Suresh Subba Singh, Vishwanath Balasubramani Senjunadhar, and Akhilesh Gajraj Yadav - conspired to smuggle the hazardous material, endangering the lives of passengers and the safety of the aircraft."

"The incident came to light after Ethiopian Airlines Manager Rakesh Ramchandra Wakale, 45, filed a complaint. As a result, a case was registered under sections 125, 327, 61(2) of the BNS and section 3(1)(k) of The Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Civil Aviation Act," the Senior PI disclosed.

"The five accused have been arrested, while another key suspect, identified as Navin Sharma, remains at large and is believed to be outside India and is yet to be arrested," he added.

"The investigation so far reveals that Sameer Biswas, who was found in possession of the flammable material, is a resident of Arjun, Batkulla, Tahitur, Nadia District, West Bengal. Nandan Yadav, 26, who handed over the substance to Biswas at the airport, lives in Marol Naka, Andheri East, Mumbai. Suresh Singh, 46, operates a logistics business near Sahar Cargo and played a key role in supplying the material to Biswas through Yadav. Vishwanath Senjunadhar, 37, residing in Ambernath, Thane, was responsible for coordinating with a wanted accused, Navin Sharma, based in Congo. Akhilesh Yadav, 28, assisted in transporting the material to the airport," said Madhukar Sonawane, Senior PI, Sahar Police Station.

"The investigation is ongoing, with efforts underway to apprehend Navin Sharma, who remains at large. We are also probing the network behind this dangerous scheme to ensure aviation safety is not compromised in the future," he added.

When asked about how the flammable substance went unnoticed at the airport security check, the Senior PI added, "We are currently investigating this part of the incident and are positive that someone from inside may also be involved. Though these are just speculations for now, we are investigating all possible angles to this incident."

Ethiopian Airlines, in its statement, said, "On August 16th morning, at Mumbai Airport in India, a baggage container carrying baggage checked in for ET-641 in the ramp area was observed with fire. The incident occurred at the ramp while the container was being transported from the baggage make-up area to the aircraft. The Airport Safety, Security, and Fire teams responded immediately, extinguishing the fire, and ensuring all necessary safety procedures were followed. The affected container and baggage are under investigation by the authorities at Mumbai airport. The aircraft was dispatched following the standard safety procedures as nothing had happened at the aircraft side. We will provide updates as more information becomes available."