Delhi airport assault: Air India Express pilot alleges casteist abuse; claims passenger threatened family

NEW DELHI: Air India Express Captain Virender Sejwal, who got into a brawl with a passenger, Ankit Dewan, at Delhi airport's Terminal 1 last Friday, has accused the latter of making "casteist remarks" and issuing "absolutely unfathomable threats to female members of his family, including a child."

In a statement on the pilot's behalf on Sunday, his advocate Sonali Karwasra Joon said: "Ankit Dewan initiated the confrontation by verbally abusing Captain Sejwal 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 Capt 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."


"The incident between the two was resolved 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, Ankit Dewan signed willingly — there was no coercion or pressure involved.... Allegations of any force or bias against CISF are incorrect and unfounded," the lawyer's statement added. The captain, grounded by AI Express pending a probe, "has full faith in authorities that he will not be denied justice and the incident will be looked at impartially, considering all facts and without the overbearing social media narrative," the statement said.

Captain Sejwal was travelling as a passenger and "was not on flight duty, nor was the incident connected in any manner to his professional responsibilities," it added.

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