A day after an airhostess pressed charges of assault and sexual harassment against the commander and co-pilot of an Air India flight, Chairman & Managing Director Arvind Jadhav has involved himself in the probe.
Two crew members and the two pilots were questioned by the CMD this evening, said airline sources. The report of the inquiry, being conducted by senior officials of the airline will be out on Monday morning, said an Air India spokesperson.
The two crew members and two pilots have been de-rostered and will not be allowed to fly. Currently, the statements of all the four people involved in the case are being recorded.
Other crew members on board the flight IC 884, meanwhile, said the Commander of the flight, Ranbir Arora, had threatened to offload the entire crew at Karachi.
They also said the co-pilot, Aditya Chopra, had no involvement in the scuffle.
Sources said Arora has a history of getting involved in such scuffles. The Air India spokesperson said the management, in its inquiry, is not
looking into Arora’s history but investigating the specific incident at the moment.
The Air India spokesperson called the incident “a clear case of indiscipline” and said the airline will take stringent action on basis of the inquiry report against whosoever found guilty.
Sources in the Delhi Police said Amit Khanna, the flight purserinvolved, has now been made a witness, along with other crew members on board the IC 884.
As per the airhostess’s complaint, cases were registered against the pilots under IPC Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 354 (assault or use of criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and 34 (common intention), said Satindra Garg, the Joint Commissioner of Police (Operations).
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