Shiv Sena MP Hit Air India Official With Slipper, Airline Files An FIR Against Him

In another instance of notoriety by our Netas, Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad hit an Air India official with his slipper after his flight from Pune landed at the Delhi airport on Thursday morning.

According to an Air India spokesperson, Gaikwad hit the official over not being given a seat of his choice.

Speaking to media, the 54-year-old MP defiantly confessed to having hit the AI official 25 times with his slipper and alleged that the latter misbehaved with him.

“I hit the staffer 25 times, not just once. I kept asking for a complaint book, but they kept refusing. Finally, I told them I am an MP, but they said ‘Who MP, we only understand Narendra Modi,” he said.

The incident as it happened

Gaikwad had booked an open ticket on the Pune-Delhi flight AI-852. Though he wanted to fly business class, the aircraft had an all-economy configuration. According to AI official, Gaikwad’s staff in Delhi were informed about this on Wednesday. They decided to go ahead and said that the politician would board the flight.

Gaikwad boarded the flight taking his seat in the economy class and reached Delhi. However, he didn’t alight the aircraft and asked for an apology from the director and AI chairman. He even said that we wouldn’t move until they tender their apology.

In order to pacify the enraged MP, the airline’s duty manager went to the plane and apologized for the inconvenience the MP had to go through. As he was trying his best to convince Gaikwad, the MP started abusing the manager, removed his slipper and hit him at least 16-18 times, as told by AI spokesperson.

According to latest updates, a senior airline official told India Today, “Air India will file an FIR against Gaikwad in an hour’s time at a police station near T2 Terminal of Delhi airport. We have filed an internal committee to inquire into the incident.”

2 FIRs have been lodged against him, one by the victim SuKumar and one by Air India:Harinder,Delhi Airport Manager on Shiv Sena MP R Gaikwad pic.twitter.com/AxMkBJGIwA

— ANI (@ANI_news) March 23, 2017

The official added, “The committee’s report is almost ready and is going to be tabled to the Aviation Ministry in the next few hours.

Gaikwad, a member of Shiv Sena representing the Usmanabad constituency of Maharashtra, is a first-time MP and two-time MLA from Umerga in Usmanabad. This is, however, not the first time that MP Ravindra Gaikwad has find himself on the wrong side of the law.

According to MyNeta, the portal which provides criminal and financial background information on candidates, there are almost a dozen of charges mentioned against Gaikwad, including culpable homicide and rioting.

Here is the list mentioned by Gaikwad in his 2014 affidavit:

• 1 charges related to culpable homicide not amounting to murder (IPC Section-304)
• 1 charges related to criminal intimidation (IPC Section-506)
• 1 charges related to Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty (IPC Section-332)
• 2 charges related to Punishment for Rioting (IPC Section-147)
• 2 charges related to Being member of an unlawful assembly (IPC Section-143)
• 2 charges related to wrongful restraint (IPC Section-341)
• 2 charges related to Act endangering life or personal safety of others (IPC Section-336)
• 1 charges related to Rioting, armed with deadly weapon (IPC Section-148)
• 1 charges related to Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offense committed in prosecution of common object (IPC Section-149)
• 1 charges related to Causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others (IPC Section-337)
• 1 charges related to Mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees (IPC Section-427)
• 1 charges related to Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty (IPC Section-353)
• 1 charges related to voluntarily causing hurt (IPC Section-323)

Instances like these, repeatedly show how Indian politicians abuse their power without any apparent remorse.

The Logical Indian condemns such impunity that is enjoyed by our Netas, they should be reminded every time that they have the onus to set better examples. We urge the Maharashtra government to initiate a probe into the matter and take necessary action.