I-T officials to track cash movement at airports

New Delhi, March 15 (IANS) The Income Tax Department will keep a strict vigil over the movement of cash at airports following the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct, the Civil Aviation Ministry said on Friday.

As per the security measures for airports announced for the Lok Sabha elections, the operators of all private aircraft and helicopters must declare the contents of the baggage and suitcases carried on the flights to the I-T Department, the chief electoral officers of the states, district election officers and the state police.

"With an aim to keep a strict vigil over the movement of cash through all airports, the Income Tax Department and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) will be extended all requisite cooperation for checking and surveillance activities. This will be over and above what the CISF is otherwise doing," an official statement said.

As per the directive, the Air Traffic Control (ATC) would share the records of all scheduled commercial flights, private aircraft and helicopters with the chief electoral officers and the district election officers. It would also share the travel plan of chartered aircraft and helicopters as early as possible, preferably half-an-hour in advance.

The state police departments would have to deploy police units to check the flights during the duration of the Model Code of Conduct, as per the direction of the Election Commission.

Apart from the measures to strengthen the security at the regular commercial airports, special measures have been introduced to check flights from uncontrolled, unserved and remote airstrips, aerodromes, helipads and private airstrips.

"Officers of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) will conduct surprise inspections of these airports to check the compliance of these instructions," it said.