Air India Express Issues Showcause To Pilot In Assault Case: Sources
"The proceedings are carried under labour laws, as the pilot comes under the workmen category. Once the pilot responds to the notice, an external inquiry committee will set up this week to probe the incident," sources said.
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Summary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed
- Pilot Virender Sejwal has claimed he was off duty and the dispute was a personal matter between passengers
- Passenger Ankit Dewan has alleged that he was assaulted after a verbal scuffle over queue jumping
- Police investigation will take precedence over the airline's inquiry, Air India Express has said
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New Delhi:
Air India Express has issued a showcause notice to the pilot accused of assaulting a passenger, sources have told NDTV. Captain Virender Sejwal is a pilot of Air India Express, though he has claimed that he was not on duty at the time of their alleged dispute over jumping queue.
"The proceedings are carried under labour laws, as the pilot comes under the workmen category. Once the pilot responds to the notice, an external inquiry committee will set up this week to probe the incident," sources said.
"However, the police investigation supersedes any other investigation or inquiry," they said.
The incident took place at Delhi Airport's T-1 terminal earlier this week.
The passenger, Ankit Dewan, has alleged that he was assaulted when he used the staff security check-in queue. He said he was asked to use that entrance since he was travelling with four-month-old daughter, who was in a stroller.
"The staff was cutting the queue ahead of me. On calling them out, Capt. Virender, who himself was doing the same thing, asked me if I was anpadh (uneducated), and couldn't read the signs that said this entry was for staff. A verbal scuffle broke out," Dewan said in a post on X.
"Not able to exercise restraint, the AIX [Air India Express] pilot proceeded to physically assault me, leaving me bloody. The blood in the photograph on his shirt is also mine," he added.
In a statement, Captain Virender Sejwal claimed that the passenger has completely misrepresented facts.
"Mr. 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," the statement read.
"Capt. 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," the statement underscored.
In a statement, Air India Express had said it "unequivocally condemns such behaviour".
"The employee concerned has been removed from official duties with immediate effect, pending investigation. Appropriate disciplinary action will be initiated based on the findings of the inquiry," the airline said.
Clarifying that the employee was travelling as a passenger on another airline, it said, "Air India Express upholds the highest standards of conduct and professionalism, and remains committed to ensuring that its employees act responsibly at all times".
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