SAN FRANCISCO—Originally from Bethel Island, California, Reshma Kamath, 40, next scheduled court appearance for assault on an Air India and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) staff will be Wednesday, January 7, 2026.
If convicted, she faces 20 years maximum in jail and $250,000 fine for each count on interference with flight crew, eight years in jail and $250,000 fine for assaulting, resisting or impeding a federal officer and ten years in jail and $250,000 fine on interference with a security screener.
The United States Attorney of the Northern District of California announced Kamath’s indictment was unsealed November 14. Kamath made her first court appearance Thursday, November 13, 2025. California State Bar ordered Kamath, a former lawyer, to be inactive November 8. A federal grand jury filed an indictment against Kamath on November 5.
She is charged with two counts of interfering with a flight crew, one count of assaulting, resisting or impeding a federal officer and one count of interfering with security screening personnel.
The assault took place from Saturday, June 28, 2025 to Sunday, June 29, 2025 onboard Air India Flight 173, flying from Delhi, India to San Francisco. She verbally abused, threatened and physically struck out at them during the nonstop, 15-hour flight.
Upon arrival at San Francisco International Airport Sunday, June 29, 2025, Kamath assaulted an airport security screener. She resisted arrest when she physically struck out an United States (U.S.) Customs and Border Protection Officer.
Kamath’s disbarment from Northern District of California was Thursday, August 29, 2024. She passed State Bar of California and received her lawyer’s licenses Friday, January 22, 2021, graduating form Northwestern School of Law in 2017.
