Singapore, April 2: A 73-year-old Indian national has been sentenced to nine months in prison for molesting four female cabin crew members aboard a Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight from San Francisco to Singapore, The Straits Times reported.
Balasubramanian Ramesh pleaded guilty to four counts of molestation, while three additional charges—linked to a victim he molested four times during the November 18, 2024, flight—were considered. Over a 14-hour journey, he repeatedly harassed the crew members.
Upon landing at 6:45 p.m., an SIA flight supervisor reported the incidents to the airline’s control center, prompting a police alert. Singapore officers arrested Balasubramanian the same day, and he was charged in court on November 25, 2024.
During sentencing, Deputy Public Prosecutor Ashley Chin sought a harsher punishment of up to 18 months, citing multiple victims. However, defense lawyer Rezvana Fairouse argued for leniency, noting that the offenses did not involve skin-to-skin contact.
While Singapore law allows for jail, fines, or caning in molestation cases, Balasubramanian was exempt from caning due to his age.
