A U.S. federal grand jury has indicted 40-year-old Reshma Kamath for allegedly assaulting multiple flight attendants on an Air India flight from Delhi to San Francisco and later attacking federal officers at San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, the incident began during Flight AI 173 on June 24, 2024, when Kamath allegedly intimidated and assaulted two members of the cabin crew, including by verbally abusing, threatening, and striking them. Upon arrival at SFO, the situation escalated further: Kamath allegedly assaulted an SFO employee with security duties and resisted arrest and assaulted a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer.
While the June 2024 onboard disturbance did not generate public reporting at the time, the Department of Justice has now revealed the charges following the formal indictment.
The Federal Charges
Kamath is charged with:
- Interference with flight crew members (49 U.S.C. § 46504)
- Assault within the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States
- Assault on a federal officer (18 U.S.C. § 111(a))
- Interference with airport security personnel (49 U.S.C. § 46503)
These are among the more serious charges a passenger can face for in-flight misconduct and they reflect the federal government’s strong stance on protecting flight crew, airport security personnel, and law-enforcement officers.
Potential Penalties if Convicted
According to the Justice Department, if convicted, Kamath faces:
- A maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of interfering with flight crew members (49 U.S.C. § 46504)
- A maximum sentence of 8 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for assaulting, resisting, or impeding a federal officer (18 U.S.C. § 111(a))
- A maximum sentence 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for interfering with security screening personnel (49 U.S.C. § 46503)
Any sentence imposed would ultimately be determined by a federal judge under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and 18 U.S.C. § 3553, which require courts to consider factors such as the nature of the offense, the defendant’s history, and the need for deterrence.
It is important to note that a federal indictment does not imply guilt; it simply means a grand jury found sufficient evidence to formally charge the individual. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
According to federal court records, an attorney named Reshma Kamath was disbarred in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California on August 29, 2024. The State Bar of California lists a Reshma Kamath (Bar No. 333800) with an Oakland office address and shows her as ‘Not eligible to practice law.’ This has also been reported by local press but The Aviation Brief has not verified that this is the same individual charged in the airline incident.
Kamath is scheduled to appear in federal court on January 7, 2026
More details are likely to emerge through court filings. Air India has not publicly commented on the incident.
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