Shiv Sena MP refuses to apologise for assaulting airline staffer

Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad on Friday refused to apologise for assaulting an Air India staffer "25 times" with his footwear and said he would travel by the same airlines' flight to go to Pune in the evening.

"I will not apologise. Why should I? It's not my mistake. They should apologise first then (we) will see. I will go to Pune this (Friday) evening in a flight of the same airline. I have booked the ticket. I am a passenger," Gaikwad said.

Asked how he would go to Pune when a case has been registered against him, the Osmanabad MP said he did not care about it.

"What is the nature of the case? I will go. My lawyer, my party and Uddhav Thackeray Saheb (Shiv Sena chief) will see to the matter."

Gaikwad on Thursday assaulted an Air India official with his footwear after he was forced to travel economy class though he had an open business class ticket. The flight was an all-economy one.

A defiant Gaikwad admitted to beating the airline staffer "25 times" with his slipper accusing him of misbehaving with him when the flight landed in Delhi.

The incident happened when flight AI852 from Pune reached Delhi around 10.30 a.m. on Thursday.

The Osmanabad MP was later booked in two cases for assaulting the Air India staffer and delaying a scheduled flight.

--IANS

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