Man behind midair scare gets bail

A city court on Friday granted bail to 41-year-old Mursalin Sheikh, who was arrested on Wednesday and sent to judicial custody for a day for allegedly assaulting an airhostess and fellow passengers on a Mumbai-Delhi Indigo Airlines flight.

Sheikh was given bail on the ground that he was "mentally unstable".

Metropolitan Magistrate Pankaj Sharma ordered his release from judicial custody on the basis of medical documents. "Considering the medical report that the accused was mentally unstable, I am inclined to grant bail to applicant (Sheikh)," the court said.

The court on Thursday sent Sheikh to Tihar Jail for a day after reserving its order on his bail plea.

Sheikh's counsel Rajat Sharma had submitted the medical records provided by the family.

He told the court that Sheikh was not a "flight risk".

Sheikh, who is from Mumbai, allegedly turned violent on the IndiGo flight (6E196) which had taken off from Mumbai at 3.15 pm.

The flight was airborne for about an hour when Sheikh started the midair ruckus and even tried to rush to the cockpit, police said, quoting complaints from other passengers and the plane's crew.

He was finally restrained by members of the crew and fellow passengers, and handed over to the CISF after the plane landed at IGI Airport.

Police had registered a case of assault, outraging the modesty of a woman and criminal intimidation against him.

ALSO READ

Bone marrow test for gangrape accused, jail rejects poisoning charge

2 patients die during strike by doctors at Safdarjung Hospital

Tihar guards send SOS: Help, we are being watched

Be here on May 17 or will cancel bail: Judge to Talwars