Shankar Mishra, vice president of Wells Fargo’s Indian subsidiary, according to media reports, was fired after the 72-year-old passenger lodged a complaint with Air India management over the November 26 incident during a flight from New York to New Delhi.
“Wells Fargo forces its employees to adhere to the strictest rules of professional and personal conduct,” the banking group said, calling “these allegations extremely worrying.”
That person was fired, Wells Fargo said, without naming Mr. Mishra or specifying his duties. The banking group also assured that it would cooperate with the police.
On the run
Mishra, who is believed to have been under the influence of alcohol during his trip, has fled after the airline reported him.
He is still at large, according to New Delhi Police, but officers have contacted his family.
In a statement released by his lawyers and released by the media, Mr Mishra said he resolved the issue by compensating the passenger at the time of the incident.
“It is clear from the WhatsApp messages between the accused and the lady that the accused had the clothes and bags cleaned on November 28” and these items “were delivered on November 30,” the statement quoted by India Today said Expression.
The airline criticized
Air India, recently bought by Indian conglomerate Tata Group after decades of state control, has faced a barrage of criticism for its handling of the passenger’s complaint.
The Civil Aviation Authority of India has reprimanded Air India management for failing to report the incident to it. The General Directorate for Civil Aviation complained about “unprofessional behavior” and “system failure”.