'Not Fit To Fly, Go Stitch Slippers': IndiGo Pilot Alleges Casteist Remarks, Files FIR Against Senior Officials
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A 35-year-old trainee pilot from Bengaluru has accused three senior IndiGo Airlines officials of subjecting him to caste-based abuse and professional harassment during his time at the company’s corporate office in Gurugram. The pilot has filed a First Information Report (FIR) under provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The complaint, originally lodged as a zero FIR in Bengaluru, was later transferred to DLF Phase-1 Police Station in Gurugram, where the incident reportedly occurred on April 28 at IndiGo’s headquarters in Emaar Capital Tower 2.
In his complaint, the pilot alleged that the abuse began the moment he arrived for a meeting, when one of the accused, Tapas Dey, ordered him in a “demeaning manner" to leave his phone and bag outside. “His instruction set the tone for the abuse that followed," the complaint noted.
What followed, according to the pilot, was a 30-minute meeting during which he was verbally abused with casteist slurs. He claimed the officials told him: “You are not fit to fly an aircraft, go back and stitch slippers,” and “You don’t even have the worth to be a watchman here.” The complaint states that these remarks were aimed at degrading him based on his Scheduled Caste identity.
The pilot further alleged that the abuse went beyond verbal harassment and became a pattern of professional victimisation. This reportedly included unjustified salary cuts, cancellation of travel privileges, forced retraining sessions, and repeated warning letters without valid reasons. Despite raising the issue with senior management and the company’s internal ethics committee, the pilot claims no corrective action was taken, prompting him to approach the SC/ST commission and file a legal complaint.
An FIR has been registered against Tapas Dey, Manish Sahani, and Captain Rahul Patil under Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the SC/ST Act - dealing with intentional insult and intimidation in public view - as well as under Sections 351(2), 352, and 3(5) of the BNS.
Responding to the allegations, an IndiGo spokesperson stated: “IndiGo upholds a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of discrimination, harassment, or bias and remains firmly committed to being an inclusive and respectful workplace. IndiGo strongly refutes these baseless claims and stands by its values of fairness, integrity, and accountability and will extend its support to the law enforcement agencies as required."
The incident has sparked fresh concerns around workplace discrimination in India’s aviation sector, especially concerning marginalised communities. As the investigation unfolds, the case highlights the urgent need for stronger enforcement of anti-discrimination laws and internal grievance redressal systems in corporate environments. All eyes are now on the legal proceedings and whether justice will be delivered in a case that has brought questions of dignity, equity, and accountability to the forefront.
The complaint, originally lodged as a zero FIR in Bengaluru, was later transferred to DLF Phase-1 Police Station in Gurugram, where the incident reportedly occurred on April 28 at IndiGo’s headquarters in Emaar Capital Tower 2.
In his complaint, the pilot alleged that the abuse began the moment he arrived for a meeting, when one of the accused, Tapas Dey, ordered him in a “demeaning manner" to leave his phone and bag outside. “His instruction set the tone for the abuse that followed," the complaint noted.
What followed, according to the pilot, was a 30-minute meeting during which he was verbally abused with casteist slurs. He claimed the officials told him: “You are not fit to fly an aircraft, go back and stitch slippers,” and “You don’t even have the worth to be a watchman here.” The complaint states that these remarks were aimed at degrading him based on his Scheduled Caste identity.
The pilot further alleged that the abuse went beyond verbal harassment and became a pattern of professional victimisation. This reportedly included unjustified salary cuts, cancellation of travel privileges, forced retraining sessions, and repeated warning letters without valid reasons. Despite raising the issue with senior management and the company’s internal ethics committee, the pilot claims no corrective action was taken, prompting him to approach the SC/ST commission and file a legal complaint.
An FIR has been registered against Tapas Dey, Manish Sahani, and Captain Rahul Patil under Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the SC/ST Act - dealing with intentional insult and intimidation in public view - as well as under Sections 351(2), 352, and 3(5) of the BNS.
Responding to the allegations, an IndiGo spokesperson stated: “IndiGo upholds a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of discrimination, harassment, or bias and remains firmly committed to being an inclusive and respectful workplace. IndiGo strongly refutes these baseless claims and stands by its values of fairness, integrity, and accountability and will extend its support to the law enforcement agencies as required."
The incident has sparked fresh concerns around workplace discrimination in India’s aviation sector, especially concerning marginalised communities. As the investigation unfolds, the case highlights the urgent need for stronger enforcement of anti-discrimination laws and internal grievance redressal systems in corporate environments. All eyes are now on the legal proceedings and whether justice will be delivered in a case that has brought questions of dignity, equity, and accountability to the forefront.
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