IANS

Kolkata, Sep 8: A transport aircraft of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Air Force was still at Kolkata airport Tuesday after being detained two days ago for carrying weapons and explosives without declaring them. The matter has been forwarded to customs authorities in Delhi, defence sources here said.

"The matter is now with the customs and they are carrying out the interrogation procedure. But we came to know they (customs) have forwarded the case to the higher authorities in New Delhi for the next course of action," the source said.

The initial interrogation process being carried out here is almost complete.

The UAE Air Force plane (C130J) was flying from Abu Dhabi to Hanyang in China and had landed at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International airport here to refuel Sunday night.

All nine officials aboard, including the captain of the aircraft, were taken for questioning.

"So far, they've not asked for any permission to fly out. They can only apply for it when the customs clear it (the aircraft)," the official said.

The plane, on routine transit, had applied for permission through the UAE embassy and by filing an official form where its representative only wrote 'nil' in the particular column where it was required to be mentioned whether the aircraft was carrying any arms or explosives on board.