Aviation Min To Probe “Legality” of Fly Ban on Shiv Sena MP

Ravindra Gaikwad (Photo altered by The Quint)

The government is examining the legality of the ban on flying that Air India and the Federation of Airlines have imposed on Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad.

After Air India filed two FIRs against the lawmaker for assaulting one of their staff members, IndiGo, Jet Airways, SpiceJet and GoAir also issue a no-fly order.

MoS Jayant Sinha condemned the MP’s unruly behaviour. He told the Times of India:

The airlines have advised us that they would not be willing to carry this particular passenger (Gaikwad). We are studying their inputs on this matter. This is an action they have taken independently and we are examining it.

An airline official told Times of India that a common citizen would have been jailed for such violent acts, while the MP was “requested” to deboard the flight after he reportedly hit the staffer with his sandal.

In the wake of the ban, Gaikwad took a train back to Mumbai on 24 March. He pushed reporters away when they approached him at the platform.