The Civil Aviation Ministry on Wednesday ordered a probe into the reported altercation between Union Labour Minister Sahib Singh Verma and the Jet Airways staff at Mumbai airport on Tuesday.

"Based on media reports and a verbal complaint by Sahib Singh Verma, I have ordered an inquiry into the episode and directed that a report should be prepared within two days," Civil Aviation Minister Shahnawaz Hussain said.

Verma in his complaint spoke of 'delay and harassment' caused to him and other VIPs by the Jet Airways staff after the Delhi-bound aircraft returned to the tarmac following sudden closure of the runway due to poor visibility.

According to reports the Jet Airways staff said they had to incur the wrath of the minister after the flight was delayed.

Verma had allegedly manhandled three airline officials including its Customer Relations Manager Minal Naik, who bore the brunt of the minister's anger.

The minister has denied the allegations and said that the Jet Airways chief Naresh Goel had called up from London to apologise for the incident.

Verma along with Minister of State for Sports Vikram Verma, Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia and cricket squad members including Virendra Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh had arrived in Mumbai from Johannesburg on Tuedsay morning after the World Cup finals.

As their flight was delayed, they missed the connecting Indian Airlines flight and took a private airline flight. This flight, however, could not take off on time as visibility at the runway dropped due to construction work on the main runway.

The minister reportedly threw up a tantrum after the passengers were requested to disembark for lunch once it was known that the flight would take off after a delay.

Verma, according to the reports, declined to disembark and demanded that he speak to a higher authority when Mohan, one of the three staff informed him about the decision that lunch was being served in the terminal building.

"It was then that he punched me on the chest, and when another colleague Zafar Mullah intervened he was also pushed away," Mohan said.

It was then that Naik went into the aircraft and informed the Minister that lunch was being served in the building. "He grabbed me by my shoulders and pushed me and it was at that point Mullah came in between. I then locked myself in the cockpit," she said.

Verma disembarked and took an Indian Airlines flight at 1700 IST, while the Jet Boeing took off earlier at 1450 IST, after the runway was reopened, Jet officials said.

The airline on it part later issued a statement of apology to Verma for the 'discourteous' behaviour of its staff and the inconvenience caused to him during his travel to New Delhi.

It said that an inquiry had been instituted and appropriate, corrective and necessary disciplinary action would be taken against the officers found responsible for the lapse.