Govt orders probe into Air India pilot-passenger incident

The Government has ordered a probe into the case of an Air India Express pilot beating up a passenger at Delhi Airport’s Terminal 1 on Friday. “The Ministry of Civil Aviation has taken serious cognisance of the incident and directed the airline to ground the pilot with immediate effect. A formal enquiry has been ordered. Detailed reports have been sought from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF),” the ministry said on X Saturday. No police complaint has been lodged so far in this case.

Delhi Police on Saturday said it has taken cognisance of it but has not received any written complaint.

The airline, meanwhile, said the pilot has been removed from all official duties.

The alleged assault is linked to a dispute over some staff members allegedly cutting the queue at the security checkpoint in Delhi airport. “With reference to a social media post on platform X by Ankit Dewan alleging physical assault by an Air India Express pilot at Terminal-1 of the airport, it is clarified that no such matter has been reported to the police station either by the complainant or by the airline,” a police statement said. Police said they became aware of the alleged incident only after a post surfaced on social media. Appropriate legal action will be taken after a written complaint is submitted, the statement added.

On Friday, a passenger, Ankit Dewan, had alleged in a post on X that he was physically assaulted by Air India Express captain Virender Sejwal near the security area of Terminal 1, an incident he claimed left him bleeding and traumatised his seven-year-old daughter, who witnessed the altercation.

According to Dewan, the dispute broke out after he objected to some staff members allegedly cutting the queue at the security checkpoint. He claimed the pilot abused him verbally before assaulting him physically. Air India Express had earlier said it was aware of the incident involving one of its employees, who was travelling as a passenger on another airline, and that the pilot had been removed from official duties with immediate effect pending an internal investigation.