Jet Airways’ pilot arrested for rape, cheating

MUMBAI - A Jet Airways pilot was arrested here Saturday on charges of rape and cheating following a complaint against him by an air hostess with whom he was in a relationship, a police official said.

“The woman had registered a case with us May 27. Our policemen Saturday brought the pilot, Varun Agarwal, to the Powai police station for questioning and later arrested him,” said Asha Korke, the investigating officer at the police station in suburban Andheri.

Agarwal was in a live-in relationship with the woman since 2008. “He had promised to marry her soon. In fact they had also fixed up a date - April 28 - for the wedding,” Korke said.

“When he did not marry her on the said date, she confronted him and when nothing worked out, she lodged a complaint here Thursday,” Korke added.

Agarwal has been arrested under Indian Penal Code Sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 376 (punishment for rape), 417 (punishment for cheating), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation).

Despite repeated attempts, Jet Airways spokespersons in Mumbai and New Delhi were not available for their comments.

Agarwal will be brought before a court Sunday, Korke said.