Are passengers' underwears also scanned at IGI airport?

New Delhi, Dec 12 (UNI) Have the Civil Aviation authorities installed a body screening machine that can ''scan the underwears'' of passengers and show them naked as they pass through the security check? This question haunted the Rajya Sabha today while the authorities went red with embarrassment.

Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel in a written reply did not deny the existence of such a machine but merely said the equipment was ''not operational at present'' and the question of subjecting the passengers to body scanning will arise only after ''satisfactory conduct of trials''.

Mr Shahid Siddiqui, Samajwadi Party, asked Mr Patel if the government had installed an equipment capable of scanning even the underwears worn by the passengers and would it not amount to violation of privacy.

The Minister in his reply said a body scanning check point security system was provided to Delhi International Airport (Pvt Ltd) for use on trial basis at Terminal 1B of Indira Gandhi International airport that can detect metal, ceramic, plastic and wood.

Mr Patel also said the manufacturing company had claimed that the privacy of individuals can be protected, but this aspect would be specifically kept in view during trials and evaluation of the equipment.

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