NEW DELHI: An Indian court has sentenced a man to life in prison for triggering a hijack scare in a passenger plane nearly four years ago.    

A New Delhi court on Tuesday ordered 45-year-old Jitender Mohla imprisoned for life for threatening the pilot and crew of an IndiGo Airlines plane in February 2009 by saying he was armed with a gun and infected needles.

A relative said Mohla, who was convicted earlier this month, would appeal.

Mohla's claim created panic among passengers and prompted the pilot to send a hijack alert.

The plane, which was headed from western Goa state to Delhi, made an emergency landing at New Delhi's airport, where it was kept in isolation for two hours until security confirmed Mohla was unarmed. It's unclear why he made the threats.