Indian-origin Delta co-pilot arrested at San Francisco airport on child sexual assault charges

Delta Air Lines pilot Rustom Bhagwagar (Image: X)

An Indian origin Delta Airlines co-pilot, identified as Rustom Bhagwagar, was arrested approximately 10 minutes after his flight touched down at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday night (local time).

The 34-year-old was taken into custody on child sexual assault charges, shortly after the aircraft arrived from Minneapolis. The arrest occurred around 7:05 am IST on Sunday, according to reports.

Authorities from the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department, along with agents from Homeland Security Investigations, entered the cockpit of Delta Flight 2809 shortly after its arrival from Minneapolis and arrested the co-pilot. According to USA Today, the arrest occurred while passengers were still preparing to disembark from the Boeing 757-300 aircraft.

Witnesses reported that approximately 10 agents from the Department of Homeland Security boarded the aircraft immediately after it arrived at the gate and apprehended the co-pilot.

Rustom Bhagwagar was identified earlier as a suspect in an April case involving five counts of oral copulation with a child under the age of 10. He is currently being held at the Martinez Detention Facility, with bail set at $5 million.

One of the passengers told 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/markings, where they cuffed the co-pilot before leading him away."