AI orders probe in Cong MLA's "misbehaviour" with female staff

Air India said on Wednesday it has taken the incident of a Chhattisgarh Congress lawmaker allegedly misbehaving with a female staff at the Raipur airport "seriously" and ordered a detailed probe.

The state-run airline said it will initiate further action once the findings of the probe are known even as the ruling party legislator, Vinod Chandrakar, denied the charges of misconduct and claimed in fact he was the victim in the entire episode.

Chandrakar, the Congress MLA from Mahasamund in Chhattisgarh, allegedly started "shouting" and "abusing" the female staffer, working with AI's regional subsidiary Alliance Air, at the Raipur airport on September 7 evening after he arrived late for a flight and subsequently missed it.

"The matter has come to our notice. The Air India management has taken it seriously and ordered a detailed enquiry. After the enquiry report (is received), further action will be taken up," AI spokesperson Dhananjay Kumar said in a statement.

Chandrakar was scheduled to travel to Ranchi from Raipur by Alliance Air flight 91-728, but was denied boarding by the female staffer as he arrived late at the airport, said a source.

"After departure of the flight, the passenger (the MLA) came in the check-in area and started shouting at the top of his voice.

"He used abusive language and hurled abuses on the female staff in public. He started saying he is a Congress MLA', which the female staff was not aware until then," he said.

"The MLA spoke to the airport manager from her mobile and even refused to give it back to her," alleged the source.

"The female staff was later escorted/helped by the CISF and another staff through the back gate and she walked about 2 kilometres in the night," he said.

However, the legislator vehemently denied the allegations and challenged the national carrier to prove them.

I am the complainant in this incident. It is being wrongly presented.

"The victim is being made the accused. The Air India staff misbehaved with me and now they trying to save their skin by making me an accused, he told PTI over the phone.

Narrating the sequence of events, the lawmaker said he was at the receiving end in the matter and threatened to file a defamation suit against the government airline.

I challenge them to prove their allegations. They can check CCTV footage to find out who misbehaved," he said.

"I was with my four friends and I reached the airport on time. At 6 pm, I reached security checking counter. My baggage was checked twice.

"Due to security checking of my baggage, I reached the counter No. 3 where the ticket was scanned for the last time at 6:07 pm.

"Meanwhile, one of my friends was in contact with the Air India staff (the female) requesting her that our baggage was being checked twice and she should wait for some minute as there was time (for take-off), he said.

Subsequently, they did not allow us to board, said Chandrakar.

I asked the female staff to arrange another flight or refund our money as it was their fault. She then gave her phone to me, saying she can not do anything and I should talk to her superior," the MLA said.

"Then, I called CMD of Air India Ashwani Lohani who asked me to send a complaint which I sent on WhatsApp," the legislator said.

Chandrakar said he will file a defamation suit against the airline management.