The ex-girlfriend of the Delta pilot who was arrested on child abuse charges after landing his flight in San Francisco on Saturday has also been charged in the case–with the child victim being her own daughter.
Rustom Bhagwagar, booking photo via Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office.
Full size booking photo:
Rustom Bhagwagar, booking photo via Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office.
After landing at San Francisco International on a flight from Minneapolis Saturday night, 34-year-old Rustom Bhagwagar from Florida was dramatically arrested on the plane–while shocked passengers pulled out their cellphones to record–by Contra Costa Sheriff’s detectives aided by Homeland Security agents. He was initially charged with five counts of sexual abuse of a child under 10.
BREAKING: A Delta pilot has been ARRESTED at San Francisco International on charges of Child S-xuaI Abuse Material, per Fox
Witnesses say at least TEN DHS agents bordered the plane as soon as it parked at the gate and took the pilot into custody.
GREAT WORK, DHS! pic.twitter.com/GiHkwf56e3
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) July 27, 2025
Delta released a statement stating Bhagwagar was suspended, ““Delta has zero tolerance for unlawful conduct and will fully cooperate with law enforcement. We are appalled by reports of the charges related to the arrest and the individual in question has been suspended pending an investigation.”
Excerpt from report by KTVU-TV on the horrific case:
The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office has now charged 45-year-old Jennifer Powell in the case. Powell is the mother of the girl who survived the abuse.
Powell’s ex-boyfriend, 34-year-old Rustom Bhagwagar of Florida, faces 24 felony counts of engaging in sex acts with a child 10 years or under, oral copulation with a child, lewd acts on a child, and aggravated sexual assault on a child, prosecutors said.
According to a probable cause statement, Powell was aware that her daughter was being sexually abused by her then-boyfriend. The court documents said she watched, and even participated in the alleged sex crimes against her daughter.
The abuse started when the girl was six years old and continued until she was 11. That was around the time when Powell and Bhagwagar broke up, according to prosecutors.
..Bhagwagar remains in custody at the Martinez Detention Center under a $15 million bond.
Powell is also being held at Martinez Detention Center, though jail records do not show a bail amount.
The post Sick: Ex-Girlfriend of Accused Delta Pilot Also Arrested in Child Sex Abuse Case–of Her Own Daughter appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.