Sudhir Kumar Chauhan, 52, allegedly sexually assaulted a woman on Scoot Airlines flight TR16 from Singapore to Perth on April 13 – his bail application was rejected
A man who allegedly sexually assaulted a woman on a flight to Australia sensationally asked to be released on bail to stay at an eight-bedroom Airbnb.
Sudhir Kumar Chauhan, 52, wanted to stay at the property where other members of the public can still rent rooms while waiting for his court case to progress. However, he will remain behind bars at Hakea Prison in Western Australia after the magistrate deemed the Airbnb “highly unsuitable”.
Chauhan appeared at Perth Magistrates Court earlier this month after he was charged with one count of sexual intercourse without consent and three counts of indecent assault. The alleged incident occurred on Scoot Airlines flight TR16 from Singapore to Perth on April 13.
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Indian national Chauhan was travelling for a business trip from Mumbai with a colleague. Prosecutors told the court Chauhan was in the aisle seat of a three-person row, with the alleged victim in the middle and another person at the window seat. All three people were strangers, The Western Australian reports.
Chauhan believed the woman was asleep and concealed the offending with a blanket over his hand and the woman’s lap, the court heard. She was awake the entire time while he allegedly touched her inappropriately for more than 10 minutes.
The conduct only came to an end when a member of the cabin crew walked past or when the woman made it clear she was awake, the court heard. The prosecution said the alleged offending would have otherwise continued.
Regarding his bail application, Chauhan’s lawyer said he had secured the Airbnb for three months. It was proposed that he would surrender his passport, not leave the state, and have a curfew of 8pm to 7am.
The prosecution said it opposed bail as other people could stay at the property at the same time and, given the nature of the alleged offending during which the woman was asleep, residing at the Airbnb raised the risk of further incidents.
The magistrate said bail was refused on the basis that “the proposed residential arrangements are too uncertain and too obscure”.
He said: “These are – all four – incredibly serious allegations of unlawful behaviour or crime… the Airbnb is highly unsuitable as a proposed residence.”
Chauhan was remanded into custody. He will next appear at Perth Magistrates Court on July 10 via video link.
