Indian-origin doctor in US found not guilty of performing lewd act in front of teen on aircraft
New York, Feb 1: A 33-year-old Indian-origin doctor in the US who was accused of allegedly exposing himself and performing a lewd act next to a teenage girl onboard a flight has been acquitted, according to a media report.
Dr Sudipta Mohanty was found not guilty on Wednesday after a three-day trial in the Boston federal court, The New York Post newspaper reported.
Mohanty, an internal medicine and primary care doctor, was arrested in August last year and charged by criminal complaint with one count of lewd, indecent and obscene acts while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the US.
Indicted in September, Mohanty opted for a bench trial, meaning he handed his case down to a judge, not a jury, the report said.
In May 2022, Mohanty, travelling with a female companion on a flight en route from Honolulu to Boston, was seated next to a 14-year-old minor travelling with her grandparents. Accusing him of masturbating until ejaculation, the minor had said that she noticed the blanket he had up to his neck had fallen and his pants were unzipped.
The minor informed family members about the incident after arriving in Boston, and subsequently, law enforcement was notified.
In a written statement, Mohanty said, "My fiance was sitting next to me on that flight, and neither of us can understand why this happened to us."
"I have dedicated my life to caring for others as a physician, and it has been heartbreaking to step away while I dealt with these false accusations," the report cited the statement.
"Dr Mohanty is a talented and dedicated medical doctor. He has absolutely no history of wrongdoing whatsoever. On the contrary, he has devoted his life to helping those in need," a statement from his attorney said.
"The last six months have been a bizarre nightmare for him, and he is relieved this is finally over so that he can rebuild his life. He is profoundly thankful that the court heard his case so promptly and that it came to this just result," the statement said.
Prosecutors said they were disappointed with the case's outcome. "Our office has no reservations about having proceeded with this case," the report quoted them as saying.
Mohanty faced up to 90 days in prison, a fine of USD 5,000, and one year of supervised release if he had been convicted.
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Speaker UT Khader attends local cricket tournament during Bhatkal visit
Bhatkal: Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly U. T. Khader visited Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada district on Saturday and attended a local cricket match being played as part of a tournament organised by the Cosmos Sports Centre of Bhatkal.
After attending a programme at Anjuman Hami-E-Muslimeen, Khader proceeded to the Bhatkal Taluka Stadium, where the tournament is underway. He was accompanied by office-bearers of the Cosmos Sports Centre and several local community leaders.
Those present during the visit included President of Majlis-e-Islah Wa Tanzeem and former JD(S) leader Inayathullah Shabandri, Vice President of Tanzeem Atiqur Rahman Muniri, General Secretary Abdul Raqeeb MJ, President of Cosmos Sports Centre Ismail Anjum, Managing Director of Mohtisham Complexes S. M. Arshad, former president of the Bhatkal Muslim Youth Federation Imtiyaz Udyawar, among others.
Addressing players and organisers, Khader extended his best wishes to the participating teams and urged the players to uphold the spirit of sportsmanship. He said such tournaments help promote unity and brotherhood among the youth.
The cricket tournament began on November 21 and will conclude with the final match on December 21. It is being organised as part of the golden jubilee celebrations of the Cosmos Sports Centre.
Cosmos Sports Centre is one of the member clubs of the Bhatkal Muslim Youth Federation and is known for its active role in promoting sports in the town. Apart from sporting activities, the centre is also involved in various social and community initiatives, including efforts to promote education among students.
