Indian national in Singapore gets 4-year jail for molesting female tech recruiter at mall

An Indian national and permanent resident of Singapore was sentenced to four years in jail and six strokes of the cane on Monday for molesting a woman in a nursing room at a shopping mall.

As per Channel News Asia, Ankit Sharma was convicted on one charge of aggravated outrage of modesty for molesting a 31-year-old technology specialist recruiter after dragging her into a nursing room at Changi City Point mall on March 1, 2023.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sheldon Lim reportedly said the meeting began in a professional manner, with discussions about the employment of Ankit and his wife.

After ordering drinks at the bar, Sharma started asking “intrusive” and “prying” questions about the victim’s personal life and sexual preferences.

As per reports, the victim excused herself to use the toilet and tried to inform her then-boyfriend about the behaviour of Sharma. When she went out, she reportedly found Sharma outside the toilet who asked her  if she was an “impromptu person”. 

When she replied that she was, Ankit grabbed her, tapped the button to open the door to the nursing room and pulled her inside, as per CNA.

He reportedly then closed the door, grabbed her arms and pulled her up, forcefully kissing her.

Sharma denied the allegations, stating that the woman had consented and was the one who suggested going to the nursing room. His defence maintained that the encounter was voluntary and that she became upset only after he commented on her bad breath.

The court, however, dismissed this argument and found Sharma guilty. Prosecutors characterised the act as involving “extremely high” sexual exploitation with “intense and prolonged” intrusion.

For the offence, Sharma faced a possible sentence of two to ten years in prison along with caning. While his lawyer pleaded for a reduced punishment of three to three-and-a-half years with fewer cane strokes, the court sided with the prosecution’s request and imposed a minimum of four years’ imprisonment and six strokes.