Minneapolis, July 30: A Delta Airlines co-pilot was arrested at San Francisco International Airport around 7:05 am IST on Sunday, 10 minutes after the plane landed.
Rustom Bhagwagar, 34, has been arrested on charges of child sexual abuse.
Shortly after Delta Flight 2809, a Boeing 757-300, took off from Minneapolis, US, officers from the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department and agents from Homeland Security Investigations entered the cockpit and arrested the pilot as passengers were still preparing to disembark, USA Today reported.
Witnesses said at least 10 DHS agents boarded the plane as soon as it pulled up at the gate and took the pilot into custody.
Bhagwagar's co-pilot was surprised by the development and said he had no idea about his arrest. Bhagwagar was not informed of the arrest in advance because he feared the co-pilot might tip him off. The agents wanted to arrest him without any chance of escape.
According to a Facebook post by the Contra Costa Sheriff, detectives have been investigating since April 2025 after receiving a report of sexual crimes against a child. An arrest warrant was then obtained for the suspect.
Bhagwagar's arrest came after he was identified as a suspect in a case involving sex with a child under the age of 10 in April.