Air India Air India passenger arrested for aggressive behaviour refuses to pay bail amount, goes to jail
Mumbai: Air India passenger, who was arrested for smoking mid-flight and aggressive behaviour, was sent to jail after he refused to pay Rs 25,000 for bail, citing an online search to claim that the fine payable under the IPC section he was booked was only Rs 250.
The accused, identified as Ratnakar Dwivedi, was caught smoking in the lavatory on an Air India London-Mumbai flight. A court granted him bail but he told the court on Monday that he was ready to go to jail.
Dwivedi was arrested on March 10 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).
The accused told the court that he had read online that the fine payable under Section 336 was Rs 250 and he was ready to pay the fine and not the bail amount.
Following this, the Andheri metropolitan magistrate sent him to jail on Monday.
Mumbai's Sahar Police Station filed the case against him for his causing inconvenience mid-flight on March 11.
According to the authorities, Ratnakar is an Indian-origin individual but holds a US passport and citizenship.
According to an ANI report, Air India told the Sahar Police that the accused behaved aggressively with the crew when they tried to stop him from smoking. The crew made him sit on his seat but after some time he tried to open the door of the aircraft. All the passengers got scared because of his behaviour.
The crew was then forced to tie his hands and legs and made him sit on the seat. However, he didn't stop and started banging his head.
Media reports said the accused continued with his unruly behaviour, disobeying the pilot's oral and written instructions to keep calm.
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