The Delhi High Court has issued notice to Air India on a plea by Shankar Mishra, an accused in the mid-flight urination case, challenging the Appellate committee's order refusing to direct airline to supply related and material documents to prove his innocence.
Mishra, accused of urinating on an elderly female co-passenger on a New York-Delhi Air India flight, had moved the High Court seeking constitution of an appellate committee to hear his appeal.
The court had, in March, directed Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to constitute an appellate committee within two weeks' time to examine Mishra's appeal against Air India designating him an 'unruly passenger' and banning him from flying for four months.
Justice Subramonium Prasad on Tuesday issued notice to respondent Air India, and listed the matter for hearing next on January 19, 2024. Mishra has contested the order of September 15 by the Appellate committee, which denied the request for documents to establish his innocence.
The petitioner argues that the committee incorrectly directed the respondent to provide only certain documents, failing to recognise that Air India, acting as a statutory authority under the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) 2018, was obligated to supply all necessary and material documents.
Mishra also claims that he became aware of the existence of correspondence and documents between the pilot and crew of the flight and Air India, which, according to him, clearly demonstrate his innocence.
These documents date back to November 27, 2022, indicating that Air India was aware of his innocence before issuing a show cause notice under the CAR.
The internal inquiry committee had found him guilty. He challenged the report before the appellate committee. Mishra, who was arrested by the Delhi Police from Bengaluru on January 7 for allegedly urinating on a 70-year-old woman while in a drunken state on a flight last November, was granted bail on January 31 by national capital's Patiala House Court.
Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Harjyot Singh Bhalla had granted bail on the bail bond of Rs 1 lakh.
He had said that what Mishra has allegedly done is disgusting but the court is bound to follow the law. IANS/VB