Indian-origin pilot arrested at San Francisco airport in child abuse case

A Florida-based airline pilot, believed to be of Indian-origin, was nabbed at the San Francisco International Airport on Saturday night (local time) in connection with a child sex abuse investigation by Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office in California, US.

As per the social media post by the sheriff’s office, “The suspect, 34-year-old Rustom Bhagwagar, was taken into custody shortly after his flight landed, following a months-long probe that began in April.”

The suspect was charged with five counts of oral copulation with a child under the age of 10 and is currently being held at the Martinez Detention Facility in lieu of $5 million bail.

According to the sheriff’s office, the investigation was ongoing since April 2025 when the crime was reported. 

At about 9.35 pm, Sheriff’s Office detectives, with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations, boarded the plane to arrest the suspect.