23/06/2026
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23/06/2026
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SINGAPORE, Jun 23: An Indian man has been sentenced to six months in prison after molesting and harassing a Singapore Airlines flight attendant during a flight from Bangkok to Singapore, in an incident prosecutors said left the crew member distressed, frightened and in tears.
Akash Tiwari, 35 , pleaded guilty to one count of molestation and one count of harassment over the incident, which took place on February 9 aboard a Singapore Airlines flight from Thailand.
According to court proceedings, Tiwari was traveling with four friends. The group reportedly laughed repeatedly whenever a female flight attendant walked past them, making the crew member uncomfortable even before the aircraft departed Bangkok.
The court heard that before takeoff, the flight attendant approached the group to confirm their meal orders. At that point, Tiwari stretched out his arm and brushed it against her leg before laughing. His friends also laughed, prosecutors said.
The crew member reported the incident to the chief stewardess, who reassigned her to another aisle to avoid further contact with Tiwari and his group.
However, the situation continued later in the flight. While the attendant was collecting meal trays from passengers, Tiwari used his left elbow to touch her behind, the court heard.
The flight attendant again reported the matter to her superior. She and the chief stewardess then confronted Tiwari, but he denied doing anything wrong. During the confrontation, one of Tiwari’s friends reportedly laughed and said he wanted a beer so he could watch the “show,” referring to the incident.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Lynda told the court that the victim was “very upset” and clearly warned Tiwari not to touch her.
“Instead of apologising, he smirked,” the prosecutor said, adding that the reaction caused the victim even greater distress.
As the aircraft prepared to land in Singapore, the incident escalated further. The flight attendant returned to the galley, and Tiwari followed her, standing extremely close to her. She told him to stay away, but when she left the galley, she realised he was following her again.
Prosecutors said she warned him once more, but he continued moving closer.
“Instead of moving away, the accused persisted with the same threatening behaviour by coming even closer and cornering the victim in the galley,” the prosecutor told the court.
By then, the crew member was visibly shaken. She shouted at Tiwari to stop following her and to stay away. She later broke down in tears and sought help from her superior again before Tiwari finally left her alone.
The chief stewardess informed her supervisor and the captain about the incident as the aircraft approached Singapore. After landing at Changi Airport, the matter was reported to the aviation and logistics hub, and a police report was filed.
The court sentenced Tiwari to six months’ imprisonment after he admitted to the offences.
The case comes shortly after another Indian national, aged 20, was sentenced in May to three weeks in jail for molesting a Singapore Airlines stewardess on a flight from Perth to Singapore.
