JAIPUR: 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 the CISF officer, the airline too has approached the local police and said it is taking “immediate legal action”. 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 am. She was stopped by Assistant Sub Inspector Giriraj Prasad for allegedly not having valid permission to use that gate, CISF officials said. She was then asked to undergo screening at the nearby entrance for airline crew, but there were no female CISF personnel available at the time, they said. Jaipur airport 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 SpiceJet spokesperson, however, said Rani had a valid airport entry pass for the gate. “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,” the airline statement said. “We stand firmly by our employee and are committed to providing her with full support,” the airline said. 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 Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
