A pilot of an air charter company,who was to fly BJP president Nitin Gadkari to Nagpur and Gorakhpur on Tuesday,was stopped at Delhi airport by CISF personnel after he was found carrying live ammunition in his baggage. Aero Air pilot,33-year-old Canadian Rafael Jose Hubbard,was arrested by Delhi Police for illegal possession of ammunition. He was later released on a bail bond of Rs 20,000. Gadkari and eight others were to leave Delhi around 9 am when a 7.62 mm bore ammunition was found during a check of Hubbards bag. The BJP leader and journalists were to fly to Nagpur,Gorakhpur and back to Delhi. Hubbard was detained by CISF personnel at the general aviation lounge of Terminal 1D at 8.45 am and later handed over to police. Hubbard told investigating officers that he was unaware of the presence of a cartridge in his bag. We have written to the Canadian Embassy to verify the pilots antecedents. He was produced before the ACMM court in Dwarka this afternoon and released on a bail bond of Rs 20,000. He has been booked under the Arms Act, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI Airport) R A Sanjeev. Following the incident,Gadkari dropped plans of flying to Nagpur and headed straight to Gorakhpur. The BJP demanded a proper investigation into how the pilot was carrying a cartridge in his bag and asked security agencies and police to investigate the matter. Clarifying that Gadkari often uses chartered planes for organisational work,the party said it is for the company providing the aircraft to ensure that its personnel complied with rules. The BJP wants to state that our president uses planes from different airlines. We only hire the planes, said party spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy.
