Air India horror: Shankar Mishra, who urinated on co-passenger, denied bail by Delhi court

Delhi's Patiala House Court on Wednesday dismissed bail petition of Shankar Mishra, who had allegedly urinated on a co-passenger onboard Air India New York-Delhi flight on November 26, 2022. He was arrested by Delhi Police on January 6, 2023 from Bengaluru and is presently in judicial custody.

Metropolitan Magistrate Komal Garg dismissed the bail application of the accused, saying it was not appropriate to release him on bail at this stage. A magisterial court had sent Mishra to 14-day judicial remand on Saturday, denying police his custody.

During detailed arguments, Mishra's lawyer Manu Sharma submitted, "I couldn't control my drink but the unzipping was not for sexual desire. The complainant's case does not put him as a lustful man. The trial will take time but the man has been sacked from his job after these allegations. He is not at flight risk." "My client has clearly and willingly participated in any inquiries related to the alleged event, with the intention to establish his innocence and will continue to act in this bona fide manner and assist the police in the investigation into this matter," submitted Advocate Sharma.

However, Delhi Police opposed the bail plea of Shankar Mishra, saying he can influence the complainant.
Shankar Mishra was arrested by Delhi police from Bengaluru on January 6, 2023. Mishra had allegedly urinated on a 70-year-old woman in an intoxicated condition in business class of an Air India flight on November 26 last year.

Delhi Police had registered an FIR against him on January 4 on a complaint given by the woman to Air India. The police registered an FIR under sections 354, 509, and 510 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 23 of the Indian Aircraft Act. Both the accused and the victim are from outside Delhi. US-based financial services company Wells Fargo last week also terminated its employee Shankar Mishra.

"Wells Fargo holds employees to the highest standards of professional and personal behaviour and we find these allegations deeply disturbing. This individual has been terminated from Wells Fargo. We are cooperating with law enforcement and ask that any additional inquiries be directed to them," the company said in a statement. In the bail plea Shankar Mishra stated that he will continue to be cooperative with the police in the future as well and cooperate in the investigation in any manner or form required. The scene of the crime i.e., the aircraft is already vitiated.

The applicant, having willingly submitted to the Inquiry Committee despite facing the risk of being put on a no-fly list and having sought to settle the matter amicably with the lady, is unlikely to abscond or be a flight-risk and categorically submits to comply with any directions or conditions imposed upon him by this Court.