Police arrest ex-bank executive for urinating on passenger during Air India flight

NEW DELHI - A sacked executive of United States banking giant Wells Fargo

accused of urinating on a fellow passenger aboard an Air India flight

has been arrested, a police spokesman said on Saturday.

Mr Shankar Mishra, the former vice-president of the bank’s Indian operations, was on the run from the authorities after an elderly woman complained about the November incident to the airline’s management.

Media reports said Mr Mishra had switched his phone off but remained in touch with his friends over social media and made a credit card transaction in India’s IT capital Bangalore, which gave away his location. He was being taken to the capital New Delhi where police are investigating the allegations, the reports said.

A police spokesman in Delhi confirmed Mr Mishra’s arrest to AFP without giving any other details.

Wells Fargo said on Friday that it fired the employee after the “deeply disturbing” allegations came to light.

Mr Mishra was reportedly drunk during the journey from New York to New Delhi on Nov 26 when he allegedly unzipped his pants and urinated on a 72-year-old woman seated in business class.

The woman wrote a letter of complaint to Air India’s group chairman a day after the incident about “the most traumatic flight” she had ever experienced.

She said although she was offered a set of pyjamas and slippers after informing the crew that her clothes and shoes were soaked in urine, she was told to return to her seat after it was cleaned.

When she refused to return to the soiled seat, which was covered with sheets but still reeked of urine, she was offered a crew seat for the rest of the flight.

“I subsequently learnt from a fellow passenger that several seats were available in first class and he suggested to the crew that I be moved into one of those rather than being forced to sit in a soiled seat,” she wrote.

“Clearly, the crew did not feel that taking care of a distressed passenger was a priority.

“At the end of the flight, the staff told me they would get me a wheelchair to ensure that I clear customs as early as possible. However, the wheelchair deposited me at a waiting area, where I waited for 30 minutes, and nobody came to get me.

“I finally had to clear customs on my own and collected the luggage by myself – all in Air India pyjamas and socks,” she wrote.

The offender reportedly left the airport without facing any action upon landing. Air India filed a police complaint only on Jan 4 as it felt both sides had “settled the matter”, NDTV reported.

The victim described that she was “stunned” when Mr Mishra was brought before her by the flight crew and begged for her forgiveness, even though she had told them she wanted him arrested and did not wish to see him. The airline also gave Mr Mishra her contact number.

Air India said it had failed to properly address the incident and was reviewing its policy on serving alcohol during flights.

It has also issued “show cause” notices and de-rostered one pilot and four cabin crew members who were on the flight.

The carrier’s chief executive and managing director Campbell Wilson said in a statement on Saturday: “Air India acknowledges that it could have handled these matters better, both in the air and on the ground, and is committed to taking action.”

The airline added that it will provide full cooperation to the affected passenger, regulators and law enforcement authorities, and is “committed to providing a safe environment for customers and crew, as well as operating in full compliance with all laws and regulations”.

The airline, recently

bought by the Tata Group conglomerate

after decades under state control, has faced severe criticism for its handling of the woman’s complaint.

India’s aviation regulator last week admonished its management for not reporting the incident at the time. AFP, REUTERS