New Delhi:
First it was the airline management, now the National Commission for Women (NCW) has also given a clean chit to the two Air India pilots who had been accused of sexual assault by airhostess Komal Singh. (
Read: Clean chit to pilots in mid-air scuffle case)
In its report the Commission says: "Airhostess Komal Singh was pushed out of the cockpit by Captain Ranbir Arora following an argument. But there was no molestation."
"We set up a committee. We conducted an enquiry, talked to a lot of people including eyewitnesses. We have ruled out sexual assault. But of course there was a physical push by the captain," said NCW member Wansuk Syeim.
Following the allegations Captain Ranbir Arora was derostered and his co-pilot, Captain Aditya Chopra, suspended.
They have been cleared of the molestation charges, but not of indiscipline. Also, the airlines has charged the airhostess, Komal Singh, with misconduct.
"She's determined. She wants to fight till the very end. She will go to court," said Poonam Azad, a member of Karma, an NGO helping Komal Singh.
The two pilots were charged with sexual harassment by the air hostess in the wake of a mid-air scuffle between them onboard the Sharjah-Lucknow-Delhi flight IC-884 on October 3. (
Read: Probe begins into Air India mid-air scuffle)
While the NCW says Komal Singh has been unfairly chargesheeted by the airline and that she should be allowed to return to flying duty, the clean chit given to the pilots by the commission can only spell more trouble for the embattled airhostess. But she says her fight for justice is far from over.