On November 26, onboard Air India flight AI-102, an inebriated male passenger, now identified as Shankar Mishra, travelling by business class from New York to Delhi, exposed himself and urinated on a female co-passenger.
Today, (January 6, 2023) accused Shankar Mishra, who has been absconding since the purported incident came to light, issued a statement through his lawyers claiming that he had paid ‘compensation’ to the victim and the lady displayed no intention of lodging a complaint.
Meanwhile, the victim alleged in her complaint that the crew members on board compelled her to confront the accused and negotiate with him, and accept his ‘apology’.
The incident occurred on November 26, 2022, but it only came to the fore after the media, on January 4, 2023, reported about the letter the woman flyer, a senior citizen in her seventies, submitted to Tata Group’s chairman N Chandrasekaran, narrating her harrowing experience on board Air Inda flight AI-102.
Air India’s response to the entire fiasco came only recently, after the incident acquired steam as a result of the media coverage. As a consequence, the investigation into the matter was also expedited.
‘Paid compensation, got shoes and clothes dry cleaned’: Accused’s lawyer
In the midst of the ongoing investigation, the lawyers representing accused Shankar Mishra stated on Friday that he had paid ‘adequate compensation’ to the female passenger via Paytm on November 28 and that the lady showed no intention of lodging a complaint against him. Mishra’s statement also read that he had got the woman victim’s clothes and bags cleaned on November 28 and returned them to her on November 30.
“The lady in her message has clearly condoned the alleged act and has displayed no intention to lodge a complaint,” the statement added.
The lawyers of Shankar Mishra, Ishanee Sharma, and Akshat Bajpai, in a statement, informed that the female passenger was concerned only about the compensation being paid to her by the airline for which she also raised a subsequent complaint on December 20, 2022.
Woman who was urinated upon on the Air India flight says she was compelled to sit with her harasser and reach a settlement
The victim, meanwhile, had a different version to offer. In her complaint, the woman flyer wrote that the crew brought the accused to her seat and forced her to face him as he begged to be spared arrest. She accused the crew members of coercing her to talk with the accused.
The woman said she was “stunned” when the offender was brought before her and he “started crying and profusely apologising”.
She added that the accused Shankar Mishra begged her to not report him to the police, saying he was a family man and that he did not want his wife and child to be affected by the incident.
“The flight staff were in the meanwhile also having discussions with the offender, who was sobering up by this time, and they came and told me that he wanted to apologize to me. I stated clearly that I did not want to interact with him or see his face, and that all I wanted was for him to be arrested on arrival. However, the crew brought the offender before me against my wishes, and we were made to sit opposite each other in the crew seats. I was stunned when he started crying and profusely apologizing to me, begging me not to lodge a complaint against him because he is a family man and did not want his wife and child to be affected by this incident. In my already distraught state, I was further disoriented by being made to confront and negotiate with the perpetrator of the horrific incident in close quarters. I told him that his actions were inexcusable, but in the face of his pleading and begging in front of me, and my own shock and trauma, I found it difficult to insist on his arrest or to press charges against him,” wrote the victim.
DCW issues notice to Delhi police, Air India and DGCA pertaining to the Air India ‘urinating’ incident
The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Friday issued a notice to the city police in connection with the alleged harassment and misconduct by passengers on two Air India flights recently. Calling the incidents “extremely disturbing and serious”, the panel sought copies of FIRs registered in the matters and arrests made.
The panel has also sought a report on the action taken against the airline for negligence in the matter by January 10.
The DCW chief took to Twitter to share the notices the women’s rights body sent to the Delhi police, DGCA and Air India.
Notices to Delhi Police, DGCA and Air India pic.twitter.com/ChoBfWbaO9
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) January 6, 2023
Air India responds after it faces criticism for improper handling of the situation
Meanwhile, Air India has been facing severe criticism, including from the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), over improper handling of the incident that happened in November last year but did not come to the fore until January this year. Apparently, no action was taken from the airlines’ side until the news was reported widely by the media.
Following the outcry, Air India banned the man from flying for 30 days and informed that a police complaint has been filed against the accused male passenger.
In a detailed statement, Air India said, “Air India has taken a very serious view of the incident, where a passenger behaved in an unacceptable and undignified manner on the New York-Delhi flight that caused extreme distress to a fellow passenger. A police complaint has already been lodged and Air India is committed to assisting the law enforcement agencies as well as regulatory authorities.”
“As a first step, Air India has banned the passenger for 30 days, the maximum it is permitted to unilaterally do so, and reported the matter to the DGCA for further action,” Air India spokesperson said.
“We have also constituted an internal committee to probe lapses on part of Air India’s crew and address the deficiencies that delayed quick redressal of the situation. We are also in regular contact with the aggrieved passenger and her family during the investigation and reporting process,” the airline said.
The accused Shankar Mishra is reportedly employed as the VP of the Indian chapter of a US-based financial services company.
