Mishra has still not joined the investigation. His last location was traced in Bengaluru, where he used to work, and his phone has since been switched off, said the police. “We are planning to issue a non-bailable warrant (NBW). He has not been found at his residence, raids are on,” said an official privy to the investigation.
His father Shyam was questioned and called again for questioning on Saturday morning. Two people from Mishra’s office in Mumbai were also questioned. Mishra’s wife’s phone is also switched off.
The cops said they have also recorded the statements of four crew members of the New York-Delhi flight and summoned the pilots for questioning.
Mishra’s statement issued through his lawyers Ishanee Sharma and Akshat Bajpai in Delhi said: “The WhatsApp messages between the accused and the lady clearly show the accused had got the clothes and bags cleaned on 28th November and the same were delivered on 30th November… The lady’s persisting grievance was only with respect to adequate compensation being paid by the airline for which she has raised a subsequent complaint on December 20, 2022. The accused paid the compensation as agreed between the parties on Paytm on November 28th but after almost a month on December 19 her daughter returned the money.”
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Mishra further said the cabin crew statements recorded show there is no eyewitness to the incident and all the statements are hearsay. “The settlement reached between the parties has been affirmed in their statements. The accused has full faith in the judicial system of the country and will cooperate with the investigation process.”
Screenshots of purported chats between the victim, in her seventies, and Mishra show the two had been in touch. In an exchange on November 27, she told Mishra her daughter and son-in-law were upset over the incident. She said she had prevented them from lodging a complaint as Mishra had been apologetic and she wanted to give him a chance to mend his ways. “I guess you will also keep you word. At the same time, I was not happy with Air India staff,” she said.
Shankar Mishra, who urinated on a female passenger in an Air India flight, identified
In the same message she also confirmed that she had received “5,000”. Mishra, in reply, said he would transfer more money when Paytm allows him to make a transaction after 48 hours. “I promise this will never ever happen to anyone from me. I am sorry,” his message read.
TOI reached out to the woman for her version on the chats and the incident, but there was no response till late at night. On December 19, at 9.39am, her daughter sent a message to Mishra from the victim’s phone, saying her mother is traumatised. “We are very upset, outraged and angry and we do not want your money. She will be returning it to you by Paytm now. Please do not communicate with her.” After the followed a screenshot of a transfer of Rs 15,000 sent to the accused.
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In the FIR (a copy of which is with TOI), the woman said her son-in law sent a complaint to AI on November 27 and they agreed to reimburse the ticket; till date, they have only issued a partial refund. “However, this is hardly sufficient for my traumatic experience. I also personally e-mailed a complaint directly to AI on 27 November, fully expecting them to call me for further investigation… However, they have yet not. It is a shame when a national airline fails to protect the safety and dignity of their customers, especially senior citizens,” said the FIR.
