Passenger Clicks Obscene Photos On Flight, Women's Panel Issues Notice

Taking note of a video doing the rounds on social media, the Delhi Commission for Women has issued notices on alleged sexual harassment by a passenger aboard a flight from Delhi to Mumbai on Wednesday. The passenger was allegedly trying to click obscene photographs of a female cabin crew member and a co-passenger.

DCW chief Swati Maliwal posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the notices have been issued to the Delhi Police and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

"The Delhi Commission for Women has taken suo-moto cognizance of a video being circulated on social media platform Instagram regarding alleged sexual harassment by a passenger onboard a flight. The incident is alleged to have occurred on a Spicejet Flight No. 157 flying from Delhi to Mumbai on 16.08.2023," the notice said.

"It is alleged in the viral video that a passenger was trying to click obscene pictures of a woman flight attendant and his woman co-passenger. It has been stated that when his mobile phone was checked, objectionable pictures of the women onboard the plane were found in his mobile (sic)," it states. 

In the notice issued to the Delhi Police, the DCW has asked for a copy of the FIR registered in the matter, details of the arrested accused, and a detailed action-taken report. The commission said if the accused had not been arrested, the police should give reasons for not doing so.

The DGCA has been asked for details of action taken against the passenger and whether the incident was reported to the Internal Complaint Committee under the Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act, or any other committee. The DCW has also said that reasons should be given if this was not done. 

Both the police and the aviation regulator have been asked to provide the details by August 23.