A 73-year-old man, Balasubramanian Ramesh, was found guilty of molesting four Singapore Airlines (SIA) air stewardesses during a flight from San Francisco to Singapore. His actions led to a nine-month jail sentence on Wednesday (Apr 2).
According to court documents, Balasubramanian targeted the women because he found them “attractive”, with one victim being molested four times and the remaining three each once. The incident occurred on Nov 18, 2024, during the 17-hour flight.
One victim described her encounter with Balasubramanian, stating, “He used his hand to stroke my buttocks twice over my clothing as I was serving meals to other passengers.” Another victim shared her experience, “He placed his hand on my upper thigh, causing me to feel extremely annoyed and harassed by his actions.”
During the sentencing, the Deputy Public Prosecutor highlighted the gravity of the offense, pointing out that the accused had intentionally touched the buttocks and thighs of the victims, with the first victim being molested on four separate occasions. The fact that the crimes were committed on an aircraft and targeted air transportation workers were considered aggravating factors.
In defense, Balasubramanian’s lawyer emphasized his contributions to society as a bank manager in India. However, District Judge Toh Han Li emphasized the seriousness of the offenses, noting that they were not committed in the spur of the moment but carried out over 14 hours.
The victims’ supervisor reported the incident at the SIA Control Centre upon arrival in Singapore, leading to Balasubramanian’s arrest on the same day.
