Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad (Express photo by Renuka Pur/Filei) Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad (Express photo by Renuka Pur/Filei)

Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad, who courted controversy after thrashing an Air India employee last month, expressed regret in a letter to Civil Aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju on Thursday urging him to lift the flight ban. The letter sent to Raju read: “It could have been no one’s intention to have let the situation aggravate to the level that it eventually did. While the on-going investigation will bring out the factual sequence of events to fix, this incident may kindly not be seen as a reason for likely recurrence of such an event in future also. I would request you to lift this restriction and let the investigation eventually determine the circumstances which led to the incident.”

The letter, as per PTI quoting official sources, followed a meeting in the Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan’s chamber in Parliament where Shiv Sena MPs were clearly told that if Gaikwad tendered an apology statement saying he would not engage in any such incident in future, there’s a possibility that the government could intervene and have the ban revoked.

This development comes hours after Air India, as per reports in news agency ANI, decided to lift the travel ban on the MP only if he tenders an apology. Meanwhile, as per ANI, a meeting between Minister of State for Aviation Jayant Sinha and Air India CMD is underway at Airlines House. Earlier today, Civil Aviation Minister Raju was gheraoed by Shiv Sena MPs after Lok Sabha was briefly adjourned after he refused to lift the ban against Gaikwad.

READ: MPs can’t fulfil duties if there is ban on flying: Sumitra Mahajan

Union Minister Rajnath Singh and SS Ahluwalia had to shield him from the MPs and later escorted him to his chamber. Rajnath Singh termed the Gaikwad incident as ‘unfortunate’, adding that the Aviation minister will speak with all the stakeholders and resolve the matter amicably. Gaikwad, speaking in the Lok Sabha, had said he was being subject to a media trial. “What sin have I committed. What crime have I done that without probe I am being subjected to a media trial?”

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