Air India Express pilot denies assault allegations at airport

The Air India Express pilot, accused of assaulting a passenger at Delhi airport following a dispute over queue-jumping, has denied the allegations and claimed he was subjected to verbal abuse, casteist remarks and threats against his family.

Responding to the allegations, a law firm has put out a statement on behalf of Captain Virender Sejwal said reports on the issue have “misrepresented a personal incident” as a “pilot vs passenger” dispute.

The statement criticised what it termed a “one-sided, incomplete misrepresentation of facts” on social and news media.

“The incident was resolved in the presence of CISF officials at the airport and it claimed the facts were being misrepresented,” it said

“Captain Virender Sejwal was travelling as a passenger. He was not on flight duty, nor was the incident connected in any manner to his professional responsibilities. It was a purely personal matter between two passengers,” according to the statement.

“Ankit Dewan has selectively presented facts to create a false narrative, wrongly implying a professional conflict and attempting to sensationalise a settled issue, whereas casteist remarks were made against Capt Sejwal, and absolutely unfathomable threats were made to female members of his family, including a child,” it says.

Captain Sejwal’s statement says Ankit Dewan initiated the confrontation by verbally abusing the pilot without provocation and “continued using abusive, degrading and threatening language even after being asked to stop.”

“The situation escalated into a physical altercation in which Captain Sejwal was also hurt; he also sustained injuries during the scuffle. CISF personnel intervened promptly, repeatedly told Dewan to calm down and stop abusing, yet he refused to relent and continued his misconduct in their presence,” it says.

Rejecting this claim, Captain Sejwal’s statement said the matter was resolved voluntarily in the presence of CISF officials. “Both parties ‘voluntarily signed a statement’ confirming that they did not wish to pursue any legal action. Contrary to misleading claims, Mr Ankit Dewan signed willingly, there was no coercion or pressure involved,” it said.

“The CISF has publicly confirmed on ‘X’ that their officers acted promptly, offered the gentleman the opportunity to file formal complaints, and that it was voluntarily declined. Allegations of any force or bias against CISF are incorrect and unfounded,” the statement added.

The pilot also objected to the incident being linked to Air India Express. The airline has suspended the pilot and will set up an external committee next week to probe the incident.

Dewan, however, alleged that the altercation began when he was travelling with his family, including his four-month-old daughter in a stroller, and was directed by airport staff to use the staff and PRM security check queue.

Soon after the incident on Friday, the Tata Group-owned airline suspended the pilot and the sources said that a show-cause notice has also been served to him seeking an explanation.

The proceedings are being carried under the labour laws as a pilot comes under the workmen category.

An external inquiry committee will be set up next week to probe the incident, the sources said. The incident occurred at Terminal 1 (T1) of the Delhi airport on Friday.