A 20-year-old Indian man has been charged with molesting a flight attendant on 28 February in Singapore.
The suspect, identified only as Rajat, is accused of using criminal force with intent to outrage the modesty of a 28-year-old female crew member on a Singapore Airlines flight from Australia.
Rajat told the court on Tuesday that he planned to plead guilty to the charge.
According to a statement by the Singapore Police Force, the flight attendant was escorting a female passenger to the toilet when she noticed a piece of tissue paper on the floor. As she bent to pick it up, Rajat allegedly approached her from behind, grabbed her, and forced her into the lavatory with him, the South China Morning Post reported.
A witness – the passenger being escorted – immediately intervened and helped the crew member out of the lavatory.
The matter was then reported to the cabin supervisor.
Rajat was arrested after the flight landed at Singapore’s Changi airport.
The police did not specify the exact route of the flight but court documents confirmed it had originated in Australia.
If convicted, Rajat could be sentenced to three years in prison, a fine, caning, or any combination of these penalties.
In Singapore, “outraging modesty” is a specific criminal offence encompassing acts of sexual harassment or assault that fall short of rape.
“We take such incidents seriously as cabin crew are trained professionals dedicated to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all passengers,” assistant commissioner M Malathi, commander of the Airport Police Division, was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
“The police remain committed to protecting airline staff and passengers on board from any form of sexual harassment or assault.”
This is the second such case reported in April.
A 73-year-old Indian national named Balasubramanian Ramesh was sentenced to nine months in jail earlier this month after admitting to molesting four different Singapore Airlines stewardesses on a flight from San Francisco in November 2024. Mr Ramesh, a former bank manager, was spared caning due to his age.
In Singapore, offenders over the age of 50 are exempt from corporal punishment.
