NCW backs airhostess, says her account correct

NCW has said that airhostess Komal Singh's version of events is correct, adding that evidence points to the pilots being in the wrong. The air hostess had alleged sexual harassment by the pilots. The AI complaints committee had found allegations against pilot Ranbir Arora as “baseless”.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) extended their support to airhostess Komal Singh in the alleged AI harassment case.

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NCW said on Tuesday that airhostess Komal Singh's version of events is correct adding that evidence points to the pilots being in the wrong. The air hostess had alleged sexual harrassnebt by the pilots. Strong evidence point to Komal Singh being assulted, sources said.

An Air India probe panel on Friday gave a clean chit to two pilots who were charged with sexual harassment by an airhostess in the wake of a mid-air scuffle between them during a flight from Sharjah earlier this month.

A senior Air India official said the five-member enquiry committee, which went into her complaint about the incident on board a Sharjah-Lucknow-Delhi flight IC-884 on October 3, has concluded that whatever complaint airhostess Komal Singh has made regarding sexual harassment "is an after-thought".

The committee was set up on October 6 to investigate the mid-air scuffle between co-pilot Aditya Chopra and flight
purser Amit Khanna, during which Komal Singh was reportedly pushed by Commander Ranbir Arora and Chopra.

Air India had then suspended Khanna and Chopra, pending enquiry. Komal and the Commander of the flight, Capt Ranbir Arora, were taken off duty to assist in the probe.

The enquiry committee chargesheeted Komal for allegedly violating conduct rules, not complying with the company policy and speaking to the media, insubordination and disobeying seniors. Komal has levelled molestation charges against two pilots of the airlines.

NCW is going to table their report on Tuesday, sources said.