Air India 'pee gate': 'Unzipping wasn't for sexual desire', accused tells court
Darpan News Desk IANS, 11 Jan, 2023 12:07 PM
New Delhi, Jan 11 (IANS) Shankar Mishra, who is accused of urinating on an elderly female co-passenger in a drunken state on a New York-New Delhi Air India flight in November last year, told a Delhi court on Wednesday through his lawyer that 'unzipping' his pants was not for the purpose of 'sexual desire', and hence he cannot be considered as a 'lustful' man.
"He could not control his drinks, but the unzipping was not for sexual desire. The complainant's case does not put him as a lustful man," the counsel representing Mishra, Manu Sharma, told the court.
He contended that Mishra's actions, while obscene, were not intended to sexually harass the victim.
The Metropolitan Magistrate of Patiala House courts, Komal Garg, who had reserved the verdict earlier, denied Mishra's bail plea on Wednesday, saying that the alleged act of the accused of relieving himself upon the complainant was "utterly disgusting and repulsive" and the act itself is sufficient to outrage the modesty of a woman.
As Mishra had failed to join the investigation even after a notice under Section 41A of the CrPC was served to him, his conduct "does not inspire any confidence", the court observed.
The accused's counsel argued that Mishra did not make any attempt to run away from the inquiry process by Air India, while questioning the need for the issuance of a non-bailable warrant in the case.
On January 7, the court had sent Mishra to 14-day judicial custody.
The module is being jointly operated by Canada-based Lakhbir Singh, alias Landa, Pakistan-based Harvinder Singh Rinda and Italy-based Harpreet Singh, alias Happy. The arrested accused has been identified as Yograj Singh, alias Yog, a resident of Rajoke village in Tarn Taran district.
A police officer said that the narcotic substances were recovered from several soap cases kept in hidden chambers in an 18-wheel truck. The police have arrested the driver Hannan Ali. The vehicle was coming from Manipur and the consignment was most probably to be delivered in Guwahati.
Delhi Police had sought the custody of the arrested persons, which was granted by a duty magistrate on Tuesday. The four persons were arrested on Sunday night. Recently, a fresh case under the provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was lodged by the Delhi Police against the members of PFI, which was banned for five years by the Centre last week.
Punjab Police have arrested 5,824 drug smugglers, including 916 big fish, since July 5, Inspector General Sukhchain Singh Gill said here on Tuesday. He said 203 kg heroin was recovered. Additionally, 147.5 kg heroin was recovered by Punjab Police from seaports of Gujarat and Maharashtra, taking the total effective recovery of heroin to 350 kg in just three months.
Farmers under the aegis of Kisan Mazdur Sangarash Committee (KMSC) held protest and rail roko prorgramme at 17 different places in Punjab on Monday to mark the anniversary of Lakhimpur Kheri incident. It may be noted that 8 persons including four farmers had died during a protest in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3, 2021.
Announcing this on the floor of Assembly, he said the farmers will get the additional amount under State Agreed Price (SAP) of sugarcane as compared to the last year. With this decision, the state government will spend additional Rs 200 crore annually to benefit the farmers.
