‘Have not received complaint yet’: Delhi Police on assault by off-duty Air India Express pilot

Delhi Police on Saturday said they have not received any formal complaint so far in connection with the alleged assault of a passenger by an off-duty Air India Express pilot at the city airport.

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.

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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.

Police said no case has been registered so far in the absence of a formal complaint, and the matter would be examined once a written representation is submitted by the alleged victim.

Sources earlier said the off-duty pilot later boarded an IndiGo flight to Bengaluru after the incident.

Further action will depend on the complaint, examination of available evidence, including CCTV footage, police said.