NEW DELHI: Air India Express Captain Virender Sejwal, who was involved in a scuffle with passenger Ankit Dewan at Delhi airport’s Terminal 1 last Friday, has alleged that Dewan hurled casteist remarks and issued “shocking threats” against women in his family, including a child.
In a statement issued on Sunday through his counsel, Sonali Karwasra Joon, it was claimed that Dewan provoked the incident by verbally abusing Captain Sejwal without any cause and continued to use degrading and threatening language despite repeated requests to stop. The exchange later escalated into a physical altercation, during which the pilot also suffered injuries. Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel intervened promptly and repeatedly asked Dewan to calm down, but he allegedly refused to comply even in their presence.
The statement added that the matter was settled at the airport with both parties “voluntarily signing a statement” indicating they did not wish to pursue legal action. It rejected allegations of coercion or bias, asserting that Dewan signed willingly and that claims against the CISF were “incorrect and unfounded.”
Captain Sejwal, who has been grounded by Air India Express pending an internal inquiry, expressed confidence that authorities would examine the case impartially and not be influenced by social media narratives. The statement also clarified that he was travelling as a passenger at the time, was not on duty, and that the incident had no connection to his professional responsibilities.
