Delta Airlines pilot hit with child sex assault charges

Shocked passengers watched on as a Delta Airlines pilot was arrested and charged with alarming child sex crimes following an extensive investigation.

A Delta Airlines pilot was arrested after landing his plane at a California airport.

Rustom Bhagwagar, 34, has been charged with alarming child sex crimes following an extensive investigation involving the feds, authorities said.

Bhagwagar was cuffed by federal officers Saturday night onboard Delta Flight 2809 just after it touched down in San Francisco from Minneapolis.

The 34-year-old who was serving as co-pilot on the flight — was hit with five counts of oral copulation with a child under 10 years old, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s office announced on Monday.

Rustom Bhagwagar, 34, was cuffed by federal officers on Saturday night onboard Delta Flight 2809. Picture: Contra Costa Sheriff

A Florida resident, Bhagwagar has been under investigation since April when the California sheriff’s office received a report about child sex crimes.

His arrest shocked passengers and flight crew alike, who were preparing to deplane when about 10 Sheriff’s office detectives and federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) swarmed the plane and hauled the co-pilot away in handcuffs.

The flight had just touched down in San Francisco from Minneapolis. Picture: X

“A group of people with badges, guns, and different agency vests/markings were pushing their way up through the aisle to the cockpit,” one passenger who witnessed the arrest told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Another group of officers then boarded and removed Bhagwagar’s bags, and the flight’s other pilot told passengers he had “no idea what just happened” to his colleague.

Federal agents were seen entering the cockpit to make the arrest, shocking crew and passengers. Picture: X

Some on board the flight initially thought the arrest had to do with Bhagwagar’s immigration status – as HSI has helped lead President Trump’s migrant crackdown.

HSI told New York Post it was merely helping the local police execute their arrest warrant.

“This is an ongoing local investigation with the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office,” a spokesperson for the agency said.

Delta has not commented on the arrest of Bhagwagar, who remains held in lieu of $US5 million ($A7 million) bail.

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission