Air India Express pilot arrested in connection with alleged assault on passenger at Delhi airport
The Delhi Police has arrested an off-duty Air India Express pilot, identified as Captain Virendra Sejwal, in connection with an alleged assault on a passenger at Delhi airport earlier this month. The arrest follows a police investigation that reviewed CCTV footage and witness statements related to the incident near the Terminal-1 security checkpoint on December 19. The development comes after a First Information Report (FIR) was registered under sections 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), 126 (wrongful restraint) and 351 (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) following a complaint lodged by the passenger. The passenger Ankit Dewan, stated that the confrontation began at the security area when he, accompanied by his family, including young children and an infant was directed to use a staff or PRM (persons with reduced mobility) security lane. Dewan claimed that airline staff, including the accused pilot, were cutting ahead in the queue, prompting him to object. Dewan said that the disagreement quickly escalated into a physical altercation, during which he was struck, leaving him injured. In a separate account, Captain Sejwal has disputed parts of the passengers narrative , asserting that Dewan used abusive and degrading language, including alleged casteist remarks, which he said led to the confrontation. Following the incident, Air India Express condemned the behaviour and immediately removed the pilot from all official duties, saying it would take appropriate disciplinary action based on the outcome of inquiries. The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) also ordered a formal investigation into the matter earlier this month.
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