Air India pilot alleges sexual harassment by her commander, probe ordered

An Air India pilot has levelled charges of sexual harassment against her colleague and commander, who allegedly asked her about her sexual relations with her husband.

Both the pilots in question are based out of Delhi and had gone to Hyderabad on May 5 for training purposes when the alleged incident took place.

The woman pilot has submitted a written complaint to the Air India management. India Today is in possession of the complaint letter.

"I was subject to sexual harassment by Captain.... who was my instructor for CRM loft," the complainant has said in the letter.

She alleges that the accused commander called her to his room on the pretext of giving her some notes after training and then offered to take her out for dinner.

"We went to Chilli's restaurant and this is where my ordeal started. He started telling me how depressed and unhappy he was in his married life. He went on to discuss other women in the airline and made lewd remarks on them. He also asked me how I coped with my husband living away and whether I didn't need to have sex every day. He asked me if I masturbated etc. At some point I told him that I didn't want to talk about all this and called a cab. In the half hour wait for the cab his behaviour worsened," she wrote in the complaint.

The pilot further alleges that she never encouraged the commander and that his behaviour left her shocked, humiliated and scared.

She recounts that her ordeal didn't end there for the commander kept calling her in her room and when she didn't answer, he threatened her with messages that he would come to her room.

At this point the pilot told him that she was very disturbed by his behaviour. The commander allegedly said that he was providing her with 'options'.

Air India spokesperson has said that the airline has initiated a high level inquiry into the matter.