Indian man accused of sexually assaulting woman on flight to Australia: ‘will be dealt with swiftly’

An Indian man has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman sitting next to him on a flight to Australia.Sudhir Kumar Chahuan, 52, is accused of assaulting a female passenger on a Scoot flight from Singapore to Perth on Monday, according to the Australian Federal Police. The incident reportedly occurred during the flight and left the woman distressed.The passenger immediately informed the crew, who moved her to another seat. Airline staff monitored the defendant for the remainder of the journey after notifying authorities on the ground.Police were waiting when the plane landed in Perth and arrested Chavan upon arrival. He has since been charged with non-consensual sexual intercourse and multiple counts of non-consensual indecency.“Every passenger has the right to feel safe while traveling, especially when confined to an aircraft in close proximity to other passengers,” AFP acting police chief Peter Brindal said in a statement, according to the New York Post. He added: “We encourage anyone who has been exposed to (allegedly) unnecessary contact to call the authorities as soon as it is safe to do so, whether that be airline staff, AFP or airport security. Any indecent behavior on board an aircraft or at an airport is inappropriate and any traveler who breaks the law will be dealt with promptly.”The West Australian newspaper reported the identity of the defendant. He remains in custody and will appear in court for a bail hearing on Friday.