The veteran Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has landed in huge trouble as Mumbai High Court has issued a legal notice against him in relation to the defamation case lodged by former Jet Airways pilot Bernd Hosselin. The notice has been served to Harbhajan’s Chandigarh and Jalandhar address respectively.
In his defamation lawsuit, Hosselin claimed that Harbhajan accusations had an adverse effect on his professional career. The German pilot had lodged the complaint on December 13 last year.’ In his notice, Hosselin had clarified that he was immediately terminated by Jet Airways without committing any mistake and “despite, repeated assurances from their senior officials of Jet Airways, of not doing anything wrong, and acting in accordance with their and DGCA rules.”
Hosselin had also asked for a massive compensation of $15 million which is roughly equal to INR 100 crore. The Indian spinner and two others who were accompanying him in the flight have been also asked to appear in the court on June 12. And in case the trio fails to appear in the court, the case can go against them as well.
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The incident happened on board a Jet aircraft on April 3, 2017. Harbhajan and his companions Pooja Gujaral and Jatinder Singh Shah brought Shah’s personal wheelchair inside the aircraft. However, according to the DCA norms, it wasn’t allowed and in order to follow the rule, Hosselin asked Gujaral to remove the wheelchair, leading to an argument.
Harbhajan later sent out several tweets accusing Hosselin of racial abuses. He had tweeted, “So called this Bernd Hoesslin a pilot with @jetairways called my fellow indian(u bloody indian get out of my flight)while he is earning here.”
So called this Bernd Hoesslin a pilot with @jetairways called my fellow indian(u bloody indian get out of my flight)while he is earning here
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) April 26, 2017
“Not only was he racist, but physically assaulted a lady and abused a physically challenged man…..absolutely disgraceful &shame on @jetairways,” he had said in another tweet.“Strict action must b taken &such things should not be allowed or tolerated in r country.. #proudtobeindian let’s get together and sort this”, he added.
Not only was he racist but physically assaulted a lady and abused a physically challenged man..absolutely disgraceful &shame on @jetairways
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) April 26, 2017
Strict action must b taken &such things should not be allowed or tolerated in r country.. #proudtobeindian let's get together and sort this
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) April 26, 2017
Soon after Harbhajan’s remarks, Jet Airways had terminated Hosselin’s contract.
