Bizman on Vistara could face 6month flying ban

A businessman arrested for allegedly molesting a teenage Bollywood actor on a New Delhi-Mumbai Vistara flight could face a flying ban of up to six months if proven guilty under new civil aviation rules, which allow an airline to conduct an inquiry on unruly passengers.

According to Vistara’s final report to the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA), the private domestic airline is examining the case and an internal committee could be constituted to decide if the 39-year-old passenger should be declared unruly.

Vistara could become the first airline to conduct an internal inquiry based on new rules for passenger misbehaviour framed by the DGCA in September, sources in the civil aviation ministry said.

Based on the actor’s allegations, the airline has placed the case under “level 2” of the rules that deals with inappropriate touch and permits punishment of up to six months of flying ban for the misbehaving flyer.

The alleged molestation surfaced after the teenager posted a video on Instagram, alleging that a man seated behind her in business class rubbed his foot on her shoulder and neck during a night flight last Saturday.

The man was arrested on Sunday and a Mumbai sessions court remanded him in judicial custody on Wednesday until it hears his bail plea on December 15.

Police have registered a case against him under the stringent protection of children from sexual offences act (Pocso) and Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code.

The section covers “assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty”.

An airline spokesperson said: “As the matter is being investigated by police, we will wait for the law to take its course.”

AIRLINE, IN ITS REPORT TO DGCA, PLACED THE CASE IN LEVEL 2 OF THE RULES THAT DEALS WITH INAPPROPRIATE TOUCH