Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad 'grounded' for hitting Air India staffer, catches train to Mumbai; FIR lodged

New Delhi: New Delhi: After Air India and all private carriers on Friday refused to fly Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad for assaulting an airline employee, the MP, who has been summoned by party chief Uddhav Thackeray, had to catch a train to Mumbai later in the day. 

The grounded Member of Parliament boarded the first class coach of August Kranti Express from Delhi's Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station to Mumbai Central at around 5 pm on Friday, a railway official said.

The Delhi Police registered an FIR against Gaikwad for assaulting an Air India staffer and transferred the case to its Crime Branch.

Gaikwad has been charged with attempt to commit culpable homicide and using criminal homicide (Section 308 IPC) with intent to dishonour person (Section 355 IPC), said Dependra Pathak, Delhi Police's chief spokesperson and special commissioner(operations).

However, Gaikwad -- Lok Sabha member from Osmanabad in Maharashtra -- remained defiant and refused to apologise for repeatedly beating and trying to push down Air India officer R Sukumar from the aircraft on Thursday.

Airlines ban errant MP

A Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) statement said: "Air India and member airlines have decided to ban this MP from flying on all our flights with immediate effect."

Besides Air India, the airlines which won't allow Gaikwad to fly as FIA members are IndiGo, Jet Airways, SpiceJet and Go Air. AirAsia and Vistara, which are not with FIA, joined them.

Gaikwad also shot off complaints to Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan demanding an inquiry into the incident.

The Shiv Sena does not support Ravindra Gaikwad's behaviour but party leaders would "raise their hand" wherever needed, its Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said.

Thackeray seeks report

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has sought a report to determine the facts before he decides on what happens next for Gaikwad.Air India Duty Manager Sukumar, who was assaulted by Gaikwad, today asserted that the elected representatives need to behave in a decent manner.

Shiv Sena MP assaults AI official

On Thursday, when Gaikwad refused to de-board, Sukumar said he first requested the MP in English to get off the plane but was told to speak in Hindi.

When he began to speak in Hindi, Gaikwad flared up and hit him with his slipper. All though Thursday, Gaikwad boasted how he had hit the staffer with his slipper "25 times".

"I will not apologise. Why should I? It's not my mistake. They should apologise first, then (we) will see."