’Air India has punished the victim’

Airline being accused of gender-bias as the mid-air scuffle enquiry committee chargesheets 'molested' air hostess

'Air India has punished the victim'

Airline being accused of gender-bias as the mid-air scuffle enquiry committee chargesheets 'molested' air hostess

What's my fault? Komal Singh in tears file photo

The Air India enquiry committee constituted to investigate a mid-air scuffle on a Sharjah-Lucknow flight early this month has chargesheeted air hostess Komal Singh, who had reportedly leveled molestation charges against two pilots.

Sources in the airline said the air hostess has been punished for flouting company rules. "Komal Singh has been chargesheeted for speaking to the media against company policies. She has also been accused of insubordination, disobeying seniors," said a senior official working with the airline, wishing anonymity.

The Air India spokesperson could not be contacted despite repeated attempts, email and text messages.

Gender bias?

Even while Singh remains tight-lipped about the verdict, other air hostesses and women employees of the airline are accusing the management of being biased.

"Komal Singh was the victim. She was sexually harassed on duty by her seniors. But the enquiry committee has chosen to punish her instead. She is being victimised because she is a woman," said a senior Air India air hostess, wishing anonymity.

Confirming the chargesheet, Singh's sister Poonam Singh said, "We were expecting the enquiry committee and Air India to be fair. But they have punished the victim," said Poonam.

Interestingly, flight purser Amit Khanna, who had got into the scuffle with Flight Commander Ranbir Arora and his co-pilot Aditya Chopra, has also been chargesheeted for the same reasons by the committee.

On October 6, Air India had constituted a five-member committee, headed by a senior womanu00a0 official,u00a0 tou00a0 examine the charges of sexual harassment leveled by Singh against the two pilots. The committee also included the member of an NGO.

The enquiry committee recorded statements of passengers on the flight, crew members on duty, victim Komal Singh, Flight Commander Ranbir Arora, co-pilotu00a0 Aditya Chopra and purser Amit Khanna.

Flashback
On October 3, a mid-air scuffle broke out between the two pilots and the air hostess and the purser on the Sharjah-Lucknow flight (IC-884).

A preliminary enquiry into the incident was ordered the same day after which Ranbir Arora and Amit Khanna were suspended and Komal Singh and Aditya Chopra were de-rostered.u00a0 On October 6 the Air India management ordered a departmental enquiry to determine the extent of involvement and culpability of each of these individuals.

The Airbus A-320 was carrying 106 passengers and seven crew members and was over Pakistan when the reported scuffle broke out.

Komal Singh had also filed an FIR on October 3 against both the pilots in Delhi following which they were arrested but later freed on bail.

Reacting to the MiD DAY story, Jitender Bhargava, executive director, Corporate Communications, Air India, said, "Your information is correct. She (Komal Singh) has been issued a charge sheet as per company's conduct rules."

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels