Indian-American doctor arrested for indecent act in front of minor on flight

Indian-American doctor arrested for indecent act in front of minor on flight
New York: An Indian-American doctor has been arrested for an alleged indecent act and exposing himself within the view of a 14-year-old girl seated next to him on board a flight from Honolulu to Boston in May 2022.

Sudipta Mohanty, 33, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of lewd, indecent and obscene acts while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the US.

An internal medicine and primary care doctor with a practice in Boston, Mohanty was arrested on Thursday and was released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, the US Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts said.

“Everyone, especially children, has the absolute right not to be exposed to lewd conduct when they are travelling,” said Acting US Attorney Joshua S Levy. “If you engage in the type of illicit behaviour alleged here, you will be caught and held accountable wherever it happens.”

According to the charging documents, Mohanty was a passenger aboard a Hawaiian Airlines flight enroute from Honolulu to Boston with a woman companion on May 27, 2022.

He was allegedly seated next to a 14-year-old minor travelling with her grandparents, who were seated nearby.

About halfway through the flight, the minor allegedly observed that Mohanty had covered himself with a blanket up to his neck and that Mohanty’s leg was bouncing up and down.