The Supreme Court of India has agreed to examine a plea from a 72-year-old woman who was urinated on by a male co-passenger on board an Air India flight in November 2022. The woman is seeking a direction from the court to the Centre, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and airlines to frame a standard operating procedure (SOP) to deal with such incidents. The court has issued notices to the Centre, the DGCA, and all airlines, including Air India. The top court has also sought the assistance of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta in formulating the SOP and has fixed the plea for a hearing in July after the summer vacation.
The woman had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in March, stating that Air India and the DGCA failed to treat her with care and responsibility after the incident. The incident occurred on a flight from New York to Delhi, and on January 31, a Delhi court granted bail to the accused, Shankar Mishra. Mishra was accused of urinating on the woman while in an intoxicated condition in the business class of the Air India flight on November 26, 2022.
The trial court granted Mishra bail on a personal bond of Rs. 1 lakh and a surety of the same amount. The court also imposed various conditions on Mishra, including that he should not tamper with evidence, influence witnesses or contact them in any manner. Mishra was also asked not to leave the country without prior permission from the court and to join the investigation and trial as and when called by the investigating officer or the court.
The incident highlights the need for airlines and regulators to have a clear protocol in place to deal with such incidents. The Supreme Court’s decision to examine the plea and frame an SOP for such incidents is a positive step towards ensuring the safety and well-being of passengers. The incident has also led to a debate on the issue of alcohol consumption on flights and whether there should be stricter regulations in place. It remains to be seen how the case will progress and what measures will be put in place to prevent such incidents in the future.
