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New Delhi: A 34-year old Indian origin Delta Airlines pilot, Rustom Bhagwagar, was arrested in the cockpit of his flight minutes after landing at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). He is facing multiple charges related to child sexual abuse.
The Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office, with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), executed the arrest on Sunday shortly after Delta Flight 2809, Boeing 757-300, arrived from Minneapolis. At around 9:35 pm, a team of approximately 10 DHS agents stormed the aircraft and entered the cockpit. Soon after this, they took the pilot into custody. The arrest took place while the passengers were preparing to deplane, as reported by USA Today.
One of the passengers said to the San Francisco Chronicle, "The officers and agents were pushing their way up through the aisle and into the cockpit with badges, guns, and different agency vests or markings, where they cuffed the co-pilot before leading him away."
Bhagwagar is charged with five counts of oral copulation with a child under 10 years of age. He is being held at the Martinez Detention Facility on a bail set at $5 million.
Delta Airlines responded by suspending Bhagwagar and emphasised a policy of "zero tolerance for unlawful conduct", and affirming full cooperation with law enforcement. Bhagwagar's co-pilot said that he was surprised and had no idea about his arrest. According to reports, he was not made aware of the arrest because of the concern that he might inform Bhagwagar regarding the same. The agents wanted to arrest him without any chance for further escape.
Contra Costa Sherrif's Facebook post has however, highlighted that the detectives have been conducting an investigation since April 2025 after receiving reports of sex crimes against a child. A Ramey arrest warrant has been issued for Bhagagwar.
