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Captain Virender Sejwal has issued a statement denying assault allegations at Delhi Airport, calling the incident a personal matter between passengers. He claims casteist remarks were made against him and threats targeted his family, while Air India Express suspends him pending inquiry.
Claims of casteist remarks and threats to pilot’s family.
New Delhi: Captain Virender Sejwal, an Air India Express pilot, has addressed reports claiming he assaulted a passenger at Delhi Airport over a queue dispute. A law firm released a statement on his behalf, stressing that the incident was personal and had no connection to his professional duties. The statement said the situation was misrepresented as a conflict between a pilot and passenger, while it was in fact a disagreement between two travellers.
According to the statement, Captain Sejwal was travelling as a passenger and the incident occurred entirely outside his professional responsibilities. Social media coverage, the statement adds, presented an incomplete and one-sided narrative, portraying the situation as more sensational than it actually was. Sejwal claims the passenger involved, Ankit Dewan, selectively presented facts to create a misleading version of events.
Captain Sejwal’s statement highlighted that casteist comments were made against him and unfathomable threats were directed at female family members, including a child. The pilot asserted that these actions escalated the incident and contributed to the misunderstanding. He requested the media and public to consider verified facts rather than circulating unverified claims that could harm reputations.
Ankit Dewan, the passenger involved, stated that Captain Sejwal physically assaulted him at Terminal 1 after a verbal disagreement over using a staff queue for travellers with infants. Dewan posted that he was travelling with his four-month-old daughter and confronted the pilot for cutting the line. He claimed that he was left bleeding and that the blood visible on the pilot’s shirt was his.
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Captain Sejwal’s statement said Dewan initiated the confrontation with verbal abuse, continuing even after being asked to stop. Sejwal also sustained injuries during the scuffle. The pilot said CISF personnel intervened promptly, repeatedly instructing Dewan to calm down, but he continued his behaviour. Both parties later voluntarily signed a statement confirming they did not wish to pursue legal action. The pilot denied any coercion or pressure to settle the matter.
The statement noted that CISF officers confirmed their intervention and said both passengers had the opportunity to file complaints, which they voluntarily declined. Sejwal emphasised that claims of coercion or bias against CISF are incorrect and unfounded.
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Captain Sejwal clarified that attempts to associate Air India Express with the incident are unfounded, as it was entirely personal. The airline stated it condemns inappropriate behaviour and has removed the pilot from official duties pending investigation. Disciplinary action will follow based on inquiry findings.
The pilot requested that the public and media rely only on verified facts and avoid sharing misleading content. He expressed confidence in authorities to examine the incident impartially and stressed that social media narratives should not distort the true nature of events.
