Touched, Rubbed Private Parts: Indian-Origin Man Charged with Sexual Assault on US Flight

Texas: Bhaveshkumar Dahyabhai Shukla, a 36-year-old man of Indian origin living in New Jersey, has been booked under charges of sexual assault during a domestic US flight. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is handling the case as per multiple media reports.

Shukla has been accused of inappropriate and abusive sexual contact with a woman co-passenger on a flight from Belgrade, Montana, to Dallas, Texas. According to the complaint, he allegedly touched her thighs, lower back, buttocks, and private parts, not once but twice, during the journey. The woman objected the first time. However, after she returned from the washroom, he allegedly repeated the act, using his coat to try and hide what he was doing.  

The incident occurred on January 26, 2024, during a scheduled commercial flight within the United States.

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The alleged assault happened mid-air, between Belgrade in the state of Montana and Dallas in Texas. The accused was arrested later in New Jersey, where he resides.

The matter took a legal turn when the woman messaged her husband mid-flight about the inappropriate behaviour. He immediately contacted law enforcement. As soon as the flight landed, airport police was waiting to apprehend Shukla.

After his arrest in New Jersey, Shukla agreed to be transferred to Montana for prosecution. The US federal court has fixed his court appearance for April 17. FBI Special Agent Chad McNiven filed the affidavit, stating that another passenger corroborated the victim’s version of the incident, as per media reports.

Shukla pretended he could not speak English despite having conversed in English with the victim and her daughter during the flight. However, during his court appearance in New Jersey, a Gujarati interpreter was arranged for him.