NEW DELHI: A senior Air India pilot has been suspended after he allegedly shoplifted from a duty free shop at Sydney airport on Saturday just before he was to operate a flight to Delhi. Incidentally, the pilot had received a call at the airport from Delhi that he had just become a grandfather. He operated AI 301 from Sydney to Delhi and was suspended on arrival here.

The suspension order issued by AI’s director (personnel) Amrita Sharan says: “It has been reported by regional manager Australasia that you allegedly committed an act of shoplifting from a duty free shop at Sydney Airport before the departure of flight Al 301 of June 22 from Sydney airport for which you were rostered as one of the commander. Without prejudice to any disciplinary action to be initiated against you and pending enquiry, you are hereby placed under suspension with immediate effect.”

AI chairman Ashwani Lohani has taken a very strict view of this case. He ordered action as soon he came to know of the issue. The senior pilot was also regional director, eastern region. He has been relieved of that charge too.

AI spokesman Dhananjay Kumar said: “AI lays the highest stress on proper conduct of its staff and has a zero tolerance policy towards acts of impropriety. There is an initial report of one of its captains, Rohit Bhasin, who is also working as a regional director picking up a wallet from a duty free shop in Sydney. AI has instituted an enquiry into this incident and has placed the captain under suspension.”

The pilot is learnt to have told the airline he was elated on receiving the news of becoming a grandfather and went shopping for a gift for his daughter-in-law. "I picked up something for her and as I was getting delayed, I inadvertently rushed off to the aircraft without realising I had not paid for it. But by the time I realised it was with me, I was on the aircraft and it was too late and I had to operate the flight without getting time to explain my actions to the shop managers.”

The suspension order places a number of conditions on the pilot: “You will not enter the premises of Air India without written permission of the management. You will not leave the your station (Kolkata) without written permission of the management. You will not engage yourself in any employment or avocation. You will surrender your pilot-in-command/company identity card to regional security head, Air India, Kolkata. You will not be eligible to any wages except the subsistence allowance as per rules with immediate effect.”

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In Video: Air India Regional Director (East) caught 'shoplifting' at Sydney airport, suspended