Back‘Complaint a malicious after-thought’: WhatsApp chats add new twist to Air India urination case
On November 26 last year, an inebriated traveller had urinated on his co-passenger - a senior citizen in her seventies - while travelling in the business class of an Air India flight from New York to New Delhi. The accused however insists that the recent complaint is a ‘malicious after-thought’.
PremiumAmid furore over the Air India urination case, the accused and his lawyers have contended that the recent complaint was a ‘malicious after-thought’. The development came even as the Delhi Police issued a look out circular against him and Wells Fargo terminated him as an employee.
On November 26 last year, an inebriated traveller had urinated on his co-passenger - a senior citizen in her seventies - while travelling in the business class of an Air India flight from New York to New Delhi. The drunk passenger - now identified as Shankar Mishra - has claimed through his lawyers that WhatsApp messages between him and the affected woman show that the complaint was a ‘malicious’ afterthought.
"If you go through WhatsApp messages between the accused and the woman, it clearly shows that accused had gotten (her) clothes and bags cleaned. The woman has condoned the action but accepted her stuff back," contended advocate Ishanee Sharma.
According to the lawyer, the woman had initially accepted compensation without protesting the need for the same.
“Suddenly there was an after-thought…I want to call it a malicious after-thought…where they returned the money and said, 'This isn't done and don't keep any contact with us. ' This complaint thing was an after-thought. There's no eyewitness account, nobody came out to say that they have seen the incident happening. How is that possible? The plane had more people, besides the two people in question. There are a lot of loopholes," she added.
Following the incident, Air India had imposed a 30-day travel ban against Mishra and launched an internal investigation. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has launched a manhunt for the accused.
Mishra had been the vice-president of the India Chapter of Wells Fargo. Reports quoting the company however indicate that his employment has now been terminated in light of the allegations. Officials also said that they were cooperating with local law enforcement.
(With inputs from agencies)
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