The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered a case under the Anti-Hijacking Act, 2016, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, over the alleged attack on Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar aboard a Flydubai passenger aircraft. The case was registered following directions from the Centre to investigate the September 30 incident, in which the captain was allegedly attacked by his Omani co-pilot inside the cockpit. Investigators are examining whether the assault was part of an attempt to seize control of the aircraft or deliberately crash it.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), Flydubai flight FZ1073 departed Dubai for Tel Aviv on September 30 with 174 passengers and six crew members on board. Captain Machchhar, an Indian national, was operating the aircraft alongside the Omani first officer when the alleged assault occurred. The FIR states that the captain sustained deep cuts to his head and hands during the incident, which raised serious concerns about the safety of everyone aboard the flight.

Passengers and crew members reportedly intervened and restrained the co-pilot following the attack. Other pilots travelling on the aircraft subsequently took control and diverted the flight to Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk, north-western Saudi Arabia. The aircraft landed safely at around 10.45 am Gulf Standard Time, and Saudi authorities arrested the co-pilot following the landing. The incident prompted investigations into the circumstances surrounding the cockpit assault and the potential threat to the aircraft.

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The Centre directed the NIA to investigate the matter under provisions of the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008. The case invokes Section 3 of the Anti-Hijacking Act and relevant provisions of the UAPA, both of which cover offences that can fall within the NIA’s investigative jurisdiction. The government’s decision followed concerns that the alleged attack could have involved an attempt to hijack the aircraft or cause it to crash, making the incident a matter of national security.

The NIA investigation will examine the sequence of events inside the cockpit, the circumstances surrounding the alleged assault and whether any wider conspiracy was involved. Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have also been investigating the incident, while Saudi authorities handled the arrest following the emergency landing. The registration of the case marks a significant step in India’s inquiry into the episode, although the alleged motive and the full circumstances of the attack remain subject to investigation.

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