Sena MP loses flying rights, travels by train

Girja Shankar Kaura

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 24

The Delhi Police today registered an FIR against Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad on a complaint filed by Air India and its staff member alleging assault and causing flight delay even as members of the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) — a lobby group of private airlines — joined hands with Air India to ban him from flying on any of their aircraft with immediate effect.

Denied flying rights, he boarded August Kranti Express for Mumbai from Hazrat Nizamuddin station.

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The MP is accused of assaulting R Sukumar, an AI employee, over a seat. Gaikwad, however, remained defiant, saying he didn’t believe “there is anything to repent about”.

“A case has been registered under Section 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) and 355 (assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour person) of the IPC. We are transferring the case to Crime Branch for thorough probe,” Delhi Police spokesperson Dependra Pathak said. Gaikwad has also submitted a complaint to the police, saying he was made to travel by Air India on economy class even as he had a business-class ticket.

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Earlier in the day, Gaikwad was banned by Air India and FIA member airlines — IndiGo, SpiceJet, GoAir, Jet Airways and AirAsia India — from flying on any of their aircraft with immediate effect following his assault on national carrier’s staffer.

“Air India and FIA member airlines have decided to ban this Member of Parliament from flying on all our flights with immediate effect. We believe exemplary action should be taken in such incidents to protect employee morale and public safety,” Ujjwal Dey, Associate Director of the FIA, said in a statement.