A SpiceJet staff member was arrested Thursday after she allegedly slapped a Central Industrial Security Force officer during an argument over security screening, police said while the airline called it a "serious case of sexual harassment." A CCTV video clip shows the CISF officer speaking to the woman. Suddenly, she moves two steps towards him and then delivers a slap on his face.
A woman constable then takes her aside.
While the police have registered a case of assault against Anuradha Rani on the basis of a complaint by Assistant Sub Inspector Giriraj Prasad, the airline too has approached the local police and said it is taking immediate legal action.
Officials said the woman was sent to judicial custody by a local court.
The SpiceJet statement claimed that their employee was subject to inappropriate language and the CISF officer even asked her to "come and meet him after his duty hours at his home".
Police initially said Rani worked as a food supervisor, however, the airline described her as a female security staff member.
"The woman has been arrested and her statement is being taken. The woman has also lodged a complaint. We are verifying the facts following which appropriate action will be taken," DCP Kavendra Singh said.
According to the CISF complaint, an argument took place when Rani was entering the airport along with other staff through the vehicle gate around 4:40 am.
She was stopped by the ASI for allegedly not having valid permission to use that gate, CISF officials said.
While she had a valid BCAS-issued airport entry pass, she was asked to wait for screening and frisking at the nearby entrance for airline crew as there was no female CISF personnel available at that time, they said.
She was not allowed to enter from the "vehicle gate", CISF officials added.
Local Jaipur airport police station SHO Ram Lal said the ASI then called a female colleague for the security check, but the argument escalated and the SpiceJet employee slapped him.
The airline said in its statement, "While escorting a catering vehicle at the steel gate, our female security staff member, who had a valid airport entry pass issued by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), India's civil aviation security regulator, was subjected to inappropriate and unacceptable language by the CISF personnel, including asking her to come and meet him after his duty hours at his home." "We stand firmly by our employee and are committed to providing her with full support," the SpiceJet spokesperson said.
Asked about the charges of sexual harassment being levelled by the woman against the ASI, CISF officials said the allegation was an "afterthought" as they refused a mutual compromise and chose to file a complaint with the police.
The CISF officials said CCTV recording of the early morning incident shows that about six people, including a woman CISF personnel, were at the spot when the alleged argument and the slapping happened.
CISF officials said a thorough inquiry is being conducted into the incident after CCTV footage showed that the woman hit the uniformed official "despite no provocation".
A deputy inspector general (DIG)-rank officer of the CISF will also take stock of the situation at the ground on Friday.
The CISF provides a counter-terrorist security cover to the Jaipur airport apart from 67 other such civil aviation facilities in the country.
Police said a case has been registered against the SpiceJet employee under sections 121 (1) (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 132 (assaulting public servant) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
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