In a scene that felt straight out of a movie, federal agents boarded a Delta Air Lines flight upon its arrival in California, stormed the cockpit, and arrested an Indian pilot on charges of child sexual abuse.

A video of the same has also been doing the rounds on social media. The video, made by one of the passengers seated on the aisle, opens to show federal agents with badges and guns walking up to the cockpit. The pilot was then handcuffed and escorted down the aisle in what many online have described as a “walk of shame”.

He was arrested after the authorities got information that he was flying Delta Air Lines Flight 2809, from Minneapolis to San Francisco on Saturday. It was a Boeing 757. The investigation is led by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, and agents from the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) helped them in the successful arrest. 

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Who is Rustom Bhagwagar?

Rustom Bhagwagar is an Indian-origin pilot with Delta Air Lines. The 34-year-old’s last known address is Mavis Place in San Ramon, Texas. He is reportedly from Florida. Bhagwagar is 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 99.8 kg. The airline has suspended him, saying they were “appalled by charges related to the arrest”.

Child sexual abuse case

Bhagwagar was booked on five counts of oral copulation with a child who is less than 10 years of age. He is currently being held at the West County Detention Facility on $5 million bail. 

According to a report by Fox KTVU, he allegedly sexually abused a girl from the ages of six until eleven years old when he was dating her mother. What’s more, the girl said that her mother was aware of it and was present with them sometimes. 

He was under the radar of the agencies in an investigation into sex crimes against a child, the investigation for which began in April. 

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The other pilot, who was apparently shocked when Bhagwagar was arrested, couldn’t wrap his head around what had just happened. 

The authorities sought a Ramey Warrant for him from a judge in California. This kind of arrest warrant is the one where the suspect is arrested before a prosecutor files formal criminal charges.

Since HSI officials were present on the plane and the fact that he is of Indian origin, many thought that it had to do with his immigration status. 

Delta Air Lines’ statement

The airline has suspended him and has been cooperating with the agencies in the ongoing investigation. 

“Delta has zero tolerance for unlawful conduct and will fully cooperate with law enforcement,” a Delta spokesperson told Fox KTVU. 

The statement added, “We are appalled by reports of the charges related to the arrest, and the individual in question has been suspended pending an investigation.”