A Delhi court on Wednesdsay denied bail to Shankar Mishra, accused of urinating on an elderly woman co-passenger on an Air India flight, calling the act "utterly disgusting and repulsive".
Metropolitan Magistrate Komal Garg stated that the act has shocked the civic consciousness of people and needed to be deprecated. The alleged act in itself prima facie reflects the intention of the accused, she said, while declining the relief to Mishra, who is lodged in jail.
“The alleged act of accused of relieving himself upon the complainant is utterly disgusting and repulsive. The alleged act in itself is sufficient to outrage the modesty of any woman. Egregious conduct of the accused has shocked the civic consciousness and needs to be deprecated,” the judge said.
The judge noted that as per the record, the accused had failed to join the investigation even after a notice was issued to him under section 41A CrPC and his presence could be secured only upon the execution of the non-bailable warrant. Additionally, the judge noted that the accused had tried contacting the victim and the possibility of accused influencing the witnesses cannot be ruled out.
“Considering the above facts and circumstances, this Court does not deem it appropriate to release the accused on bail at this stage. Accordingly, the present application stands dismissed,” the judge said in the order.
The alleged incident had occurred on November 26 last year when a drunk Mishra walked up to the woman's seat in the business class on an Air India New York-New Delhi flight, exposed himself and urinated on her.
Accused Shankar Mishra, in his defence, told Delhi's Patiala House Court that his action of 'unzipping' was not for the purpose of any sexual desire.
“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,” Shankar’s lawyer submitted in the court.
The statement was made while the court was hearing a bail plea of Shankar Mishra, who has been accused of urinating on a woman co-passenger on an Air India flight in November last year.
The complainant's counsel claimed she was being threatened by those close to the accused.
“I'm regularly receiving messages, threatening me. Accused's father sent me a message and said 'karma will hit you' and then deleted the message. They're sending me messages and deleting it. This needs to stop... Air India instead of separating the accused and complainant, tried to mediate the crime,” her counsel said.