The man thrashed by an Air India Express pilot at Delhi Airport has said that the incident has "shaken his trust" in the airline safety.
Ankit Dewan on December 19 claimed that he was physically assaulted near Delhi Airport's Terminal 1 security checkpoint by Air India Express captain Virender Sejwal, who was off duty at the time and travelling as a passenger. According to his police complaint, the fight began after Dewan objected to some airline staff members allegedly jumping the queue. He said the pilot abused and assaulted him, leaving him bloodied.
"It has shaken my trust. Now, who is allowed to fly an aircraft or not, that I am not really qualified to comment on. But it definitely shakes your confidence because airports, we consider, have so much security; even going inside is not easy for anybody. So it definitely shakes your trust that one has to face a physical assault at the airport itself," Dewan told NDTV on Tuesday.
Asked about the pilot getting bail, Dewan said he has "confidence" in the law and Delhi police.
The law will take its course, he said, adding that
#NDTVExclusive | Air India Express pilot Captain Virender Sejwal gets bail in the Delhi airport passenger assault case
— NDTV (@ndtv) December 30, 2025
Ankit Dewan (@ankitdewan), the passenger who was assaulted, speaks to NDTV's @VedikaS pic.twitter.com/MeBlKaNnHX
He said he was traveling with his wife, a seven-year-old daughter, and a four-month-old baby.
"My daughter has been the most affected. I told her that the pilot has been arrested. I didn't tell her about the bail part. So that has put her mind to rest a bit," he said.
"But she keeps asking me for how long the pilot is arrested for. Initially, she was very shook. I could see anxiety in her, and she would cry at little things," he added.
He said his wife has also been affected. "But she stands by me, and she also has faith in the justice system."
He said his left nasal bone was broken in the attack.
"I am having some headaches. Initially, I had a lot of trouble using my prescription glasses. Doctors have told me that it will take somewhere around three to four weeks for it to heal," he said.
Asked if Air India Express, the aviation body DGCA, or the Delhi Airport contacted him after Sejwal got bail, Dewan said he has not heard anything from them.
He also posed questions to them.
"For Air India (Express), I would like to know what course of action they are pursuing and when they are expected to close their investigation," he said.
"For DGCA, I have raised a formal complaint with them as well through email, and I just want them to take whatever is the necessary action, whatever is in the power and in the hands of the DGCA," Dewan said.
He also requested the Delhi airport to release the CCTV footage of the incident.
"I have requested it multiple times. I think when a passenger is at the other end and he does some physical assault with one of the crew or the pilots, then the footage is released pretty quickly. So in this also, it should be released quickly," he said.
"One pertinent question remains: what have they done to make it safer for parents with small babies?" he asked.
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