Air India today suspended a senior pilot and a flight purser of a Delhi-bound international flight after an inquiry found them guilty of playing a major role in the mid-air scuffle that led an air hostess to file a molestation case against two pilots.
After examining a report of its internal enquiry, the airline management also decided to set up a committee to probe the molestation charge while keeping the complainant, air hostess Komal Singh, grounded till the probe was over.
Those suspended were Commander Ranbir Arora and Flight Purser Amit Khanna, an airline spokesman said, adding that co-pilot Aditya Chopra would continue to remain de-rostered till the inquiry ends. Chargesheets will also be issued against the two suspended employees.
Meanwhile, the city police, which lodged a case following Komal's complaint, has recorded statements of some "concerned persons" but did not identify them. Komal had charged the pilot and co-pilot with molestation and assault.
Delhi Police chief Y S Dadwal said the department has also asked the airline to provide the list of passengers travelling in the business class of flight IC-884 from Sharjah to Delhi via Lucknow on October three.
By virtue of being seated in the front of the aircraft and near the cockpit, these passengers could act as crucial eye-witnesses to the scuffle and throw light on the incident, a senior police official said.