A Singapore court on Tuesday charged 35-year-old Indian national Akash Tiwari with allegedly molesting and harassing an air stewardess on a Singapore Airlines flight from Bangkok to Singapore last month. He faces a charge of using criminal force to outrage the modesty of the victim after investigators say he initiated non-consensual physical contact, and a separate charge of causing distress by using threatening behaviour.
Court records show Tiwari has indicated he will plead not guilty. Police say the alleged offences took place on February 9 and were reported at about 4:30 pm that day. Preliminary investigations found the stewardess was serving the passenger near his seat when he allegedly touched her inappropriately; she warned him to stop and went to the galley to prepare for landing.
Tiwari was arrested after the flight landed, and officers from the Airport Police Division carried out follow-up investigations. He is due back in court on March 26 for a pre-trial conference. The police said offenders will be dealt with sternly under the law.
Under Singapore law, those who use criminal force with the intent to outrage modesty can face up to three years’ imprisonment, fines, caning, or any combination of these penalties. Offenders convicted of intentionally causing harassment or distress may be jailed for up to six months and fined up to SGD 5,000.
