Amidst the ongoing row over the Air India urination incident, a cabin crew member told Mojo Story that it was highly improbable for accused Shankar Mishra to pee over his female co-passenger onboard the flight.
“We are all Air Indians and am sure are well versed with the seat layout of business class. Being a cabin crew myself I found the whole matter hard to digest and so did some asking around with the crew involved,” the crew member informed.
“After service the cabin lights had been dimmed and all guests were sleeping with their seats in full recline position. The accused was sleeping on 8C which is an aisle seat and the supposed victim was sleeping on 9A which is a window seat,” the crew member told journalist Barkha Dutt over WhatsApp.
More and more new twists to PeeGate incident – now a cabin crew member puts out their version of events ( unofficially) and Allege the witness wanted a first class upgrade and was angry at being refused. Raise questions about the silence of passenger seated next to complainant. pic.twitter.com/0i6Brlhymx
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) January 14, 2023
The unnamed crew member further said, “An 88yr old lady was also sleeping on 9C (aisle seat) next to her. The victim came to the galley and told the crew that she had been peed on. The crew immediately went into the cabin but found the guy fast asleep with his duvet on him.”
The Air India official also raised questions about the testimony of the eyewitness, Dr Sugata Bhattacharjee who happened to be a US-based doctor of audiology and Mishra’s co-passenger.
“Mr Bhattarjee who was seated on 8A and has jumped in as a witness had flashed his card upon boarding and asked for an upgrade to First Class which was refused by Captain. He was asleep but later jumped in as witness in support of the lady and wanted her and the pax around (which would include himself) to be given FC as there was urine smell,” the crew member pointed out.
I know but we have to report their statement , also the upgrade ref is about the witness not the victim
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) January 14, 2023
The Air India crew member also questioned the silence of the co-passenger, seated next to the alleged victim. “Is it even possible for any person to stand in the aisle and pee on the window seat without even a drop on the aisle seat passenger ???” the official asked.
“I myself am over 6ft tall but have never been able to stand between two reclined business class seats so how could a drunk man manage to do that, pee on the window seat pax and get out without disturbing the aisle seat pax ???” the crew member further inquired.
“Can a man who is so drunk do all this without falling and peeing on himself as well ??? Is it even possible for any person to stand in the aisle and pee on the window seat without even a drop on the aisle seat pax ???”, the official further added.
Claims made by eyewitness Dr Sugata Bhattacharjee
Sugata Bhattacharjee, a US-based doctor of audiology and Mishra’s co-passenger on the flight on November 26 told the Times of India that the accused had downed four glasses of single malt during lunch.
“He looked visibly drunk, he asked me thrice what do your children do? I told a male purser to cut off his alcohol supply,” Bhattacharjee said.
“Though the woman was visibly distraught the cabin crew members persuaded her to talk to the passenger who peed on her. A drunk guy is a drunk guy, when a guy has done such a crime you do not bring it to the victim and allow him to apologize to her,” Bhattacharjee added.
Furthermore, Sugata Bhattacharjee said that after urinating on the woman, there was a point when Mishra dozed off. “After he woke up and sobered up, he told me, ‘Bro I think I’m in trouble’. I said yes, you are.”
The incident dates back to November 26, 2022, when the accused, identified as Shankar Mishra, urinated on a female co-passenger onboard Air India flight AI-102. Mishra is said to be in an inebriated state at that time. The accused was subsequently arrested, remanded to judicial custody and fired from his job.
