'Utterly disgusting': Delhi court denies bail to Shankar Mishra in Air India urination case

A Delhi court on Wednesday rejected the bail plea of Shankar Mishra, accused of urinating on an elderly woman co-passenger on an Air India flight, saying the alleged act is utterly disgusting and repulsive. Metropolitan Magistrate Komal Garg said other witnesses are yet to be examined and the probe is at a very initial stage.

“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 court said.

The court also noted that the accused had failed to join the investigation even after a notice was issued to him under section 41A CrPC. “It has also come on record that accused has tried contacting the victim and the possibility of accused influencing the witnesses cannot be ruled out,” the judge said.

“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.

Mishra had earlier told the court that his act was not driven by sexual desire nor aimed at outraging the complainant's modesty.

Mishra's counsel referred to his plight after the incident. "He has already suffered. He was sacked from job. He is not a flight risk (at risk of fleeing). There is no allegation that I was some kind of menace running around with a knife," he said.

The complainant's counsel, however, opposed Mishra's bail application saying she has been receiving threat messages.

The Delhi police also opposed the bail application, saying it was highly probable that if released on bail, he will influence the complainant since he is from an influential and rich background.