Air India has suspended its regional director for east, Rohit Bhasin, for allegedly shoplifting a wallet from a duty free shop at Sydney airport, officials said on Sunday (23).
Bhasin, who has also been barred from entering Air India premises without permission, was rostered as one of the commanders (pilots) of AI301 flight, which was set to depart at 10.45 am (local time) on June 22 from Sydney airport for Delhi.
"There is an initial report of one of its captains Mr Rohit Bhasin who is also working as a regional director picking up a wallet from a duty free shop in Sydney. Air India has instituted an enquiry into this incident and has placed the captain under suspension," a spokesperson of the airline said.
The suspension order issued by the airline on Saturday stated: "It has been reported by regional manager Australasia that you allegedly committed an act of shoplifting from a duty free shop at Sydney airport before the departure of flight AI301 of 22nd June, 2019, from Sydney airport for which you were rostered as one of the Commander."
The airline spokesperson said: "The incident happened around 6.30 am IST at Sydeny and suspension order was served on the captain at the airport itself on landing of the Sydney-Delhi flight around 7.30 pm. Very quick and exemplary action has been taken.
"Without prejudice to any disciplinary action to be initiated against you and pending enquiry, you are hereby placed under suspension with immediate effect," the order stated.
Besides barring from entering premises, the order also directed him to surrender his identity card.
"You will not enter the premises of Air India Ltd without written permission of the management...You will surrender your PIC/ Company identity card to Regional Security Head, Air India Ltd, Kolkata," it said.
The airline has also directed him not to leave his station (Kolkata) without written permission of the management, nor engage in any employment or avocation.
"You will not be eligible to any wages except the subsistence allowance as per rules with immediate effect," it also said. The spokesperson said, "Air India lays the highest stress on proper conduct of its staff and has a zero tolerance policy towards acts of impropriety."
Damian Talbot
Nirmala Sitharaman speaks at the India-UK Investor Roundtable in London last Wednesday (9). On the panel were India’s department of economic affairs secretary Ajay Seth and Kotak Mahindra Bank founder Uday Kotak
Sitharaman with Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves
Sitharaman with Jonathan Reynolds 
Sitharaman with Reynolds, Alastair King, India’s high commissioner Vikram Doraiswami and other delegates