A passenger who was allegedly assaulted by an off-duty Air India Express pilot at Delhi airport has said a CT scan has confirmed a displacement of his left nasal bone and that he is seeking justice in the matter.
The complainant, Ankit Dewan, said he has submitted a written complaint to the Delhi Police and came to know through media reports that an FIR has been registered.
"I am right now focusing on my health, and a CT scan today showed a displaced fracture of left nasal bone. I hope I get justice in the matter," Dewan told PTI.
The Delhi Police said on Monday that based on Dewan’s complaint received via email, a case has been registered under sections 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), 126 (wrongful restraint) and 351 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and an investigation is underway.
Earlier, police had said they were not aware of any formal complaint and came to know about the incident only after Dewan shared details on social media platform X.
Dewan has alleged that he was physically assaulted by Air India Express captain Virender Sejwal near the security area of Terminal 1 at the airport on December 19. He claimed the assault caused him to bleed and traumatised his seven-year-old daughter, who witnessed the incident.
According to Dewan, the altercation began after he objected to certain staff members allegedly cutting the queue at the security checkpoint. He alleged that the pilot verbally abused him before launching a physical attack.
Air India Express, in a statement, said it is aware of the incident involving an employee who was travelling as a passenger on another airline at the time. The airline said the pilot has been removed from official duties with immediate effect, pending an internal investigation.
Police officials said the matter will be examined based on the complaint and available evidence, including CCTV footage from the terminal.