Indian-Origin Delta Pilot Arrested From Cockpit On Child Sex Abuse Charges
The arrest took place after the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department and agents with Homeland Security Investigations stormed the cockpit.
A Delta Airlines co-pilot was arrested 10 minutes after his flight landed at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday night (local time). The pilot, identified as Rustom Bhagwagar, was taken into custody on charges of child sexual assault.
The arrest took place after the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department and agents with Homeland Security Investigations stormed the cockpit, while passengers were still preparing to deplane, according to USA Today.
Bhagwagar's arrest comes after he was identified as a suspect in a case involving five counts of oral copulation with a child under the age of 10 in April. He is currently being held at the Martinez Detention Facility with a bail set at $5 million.
Federal agents and sheriff's deputies stormed the cockpit of the Delta Airlines flight over the weekend and arrested the Indian-origin co-pilot.
Flight 2809 arrived at San Francisco International Airport at about 9:35 pm (local time) Saturday when agents from Homeland Security Investigations and Contra Costa Sheriff's deputies boarded the Boeing 757-300 jet and removed the co-pilot, the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office said, as per CBS News.
CBS News reported.
Meanwhile, a passenger aboard the flight informed that the plane had just arrived at the gate when deputies and federal agents boarded through the door between the coach and first class sections. He added that the officers pushed their way past passengers who were in the aisle, retrieving their belongings from the overhead bins.
(With agency inputs)
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First Published:
July 29, 2025, 15:08 IST
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