Police record passenger’s statement in IGI assault

He alleged that at the airport, he and his family were guided to use the security check area that the staff uses because they had a four-month-old baby.

Police on Tuesday have recorded a detailed statement of the passenger who was allegedly assaulted by an off-duty Air India Express pilot at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport last week, a day after a first information report (FIR) was registered in connection with the case, two senior police officers aware of the matter said.

(Photo for representation)

“The complainant (Dewan) was called today for recording his detailed statement, collection of evidence, and for getting his medical examination conducted. Further recording of statements of all relevant individuals and collection of evidence in the case will continue,” said deputy commissioner of police (IGI Airport) Vichitra Veer.

On Friday, a passenger, Ankit Dewan posted on social media that an Air India Express captain, later identified as Captain Virender Sejwal, assaulted him at Terminal 1 of the airport and his seven-year-old daughter, who was a witness, was “left traumatised and scared”. Dewan posted a photo of himself with blood on his face.

He alleged that at the airport, he and his family were guided to use the security check area that the staff uses because they had a four-month-old baby. “The staff was cutting the queue ahead of me. On calling them out, Sejwal, 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,” Dewan posted. Subsequently, the men got into a fight.

After Dewan’s social media post, Sejwal was suspended by the airline. Deputy commissioner of police (west) Vichitra Veer had said nobody approached the police during the fight and that the police found out about the incident through social media.

However, on Monday, police said two complaints have been received via email in the matter.

The first complaint, filed by Sejwal, states that Dewan initiated the fight by abusing him “without provocation and continued using abusive, degrading and threatening language”. Sejwal said he also sustained injuries. Police said they are probing the accusations.

The second complaint, filed by Dewan on Monday, claims Sejwal beat him up in front of his family members after he asked him not to cut the queue.

Sejwal has been booked under sections 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), 126 (wrongful restraint), and 351 (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).