Mumbai: A US citizen has been booked on the charges of allegedly smoking in the bathroom and misbehaving with other passengers on Air India London-Mumbai flight. According to Mumbai police, a case has been registered against 37-year-old Ramakant at Sahar Police Station for causing inconvenience mid-flight on March 11.
They further stated that the case has been registered under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 336 (whoever does any act so rashly or negligently as to endanger human life or the personal safety of others) and Aircraft Act 1937, 22 (refuse to follow a lawful instruction given by the Pilot-in-Command), 23 (Assault and other acts endangering safety or jeopardizing good order and discipline) and 25 (for smoking).
What Air India's crew member said
"Smoking is not allowed on the flight but as he went to the bathroom the alarm started to ring and when we all crew ran towards the bathroom saw he had a cigarette in his hand. We immediately threw the cigarette from his hand. Then Ramakant started shouting at all our crew members. Somehow we took him to his seat. But after some time he tried to open the door of the aircraft. All the passengers got scared because of his behaviour and he started acting gimmick on the flight. He was not ready to listen to us and was shouting. Then we tied his hands and legs and made him sit on the seat," the crew member of Air India told the Sahar Police, ANI reported.
According to the police, "One person among the passenger was a doctor. He came and checked him. Then Ramakant said that he has some medicine in his bag we didn't find any but an e-cigarette was recovered while checking the bag."
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US national booked under various sections of IPC
After the flight landed, the passenger Ramkant was handed over to the Sahar police where he was taken into custody and booked under various sections of the IPC. "We have sent the sample of the accused for medical test to confirm whether he was in an inebriated state or mentally disturbed," the police added.
They also confirmed that the accused is of Indian origin but a citizen of the United States of America and holds a US passport.
“A passenger on our flight AI130, operating London-Mumbai on 10th March 2023, was found smoking in the lavatory. Subsequently, he behaved in an unruly and aggressive manner, despite repeated warnings," a spokesperson of Air India said.
"He was handed over to the security personnel upon the flight’s arrival in Mumbai. The regulator has been duly informed of the incident. We are extending all cooperation in the ongoing investigations. Air India follows a zero-tolerance policy for any behaviour that compromises the safety and security of passengers and staff," the spokesperson added.
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