SINGAPORE: A Singapore court on Tuesday charged an Indian national for allegedly molesting and harassing an air stewardess on a flight from Bangkok to Singapore last month, a local media reported.

Akash Tiwari, 35, was charged with using criminal force to outrage the modesty of the victim on a Singapore Airlines flight after he allegedly initiated non-consensual physical contact with her.

The accused was also charged with causing distress by using threatening behaviour on the air stewardess, The Straits Times reported.

According to court records, Tiwari has indicated that to plead not guilty to the charges.

His alleged offences took place on February 9 this year. The police said they were alerted to the incident at around 4:30 pm on the day of the incident.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the air stewardess was serving the man near his seat when he allegedly touched her inappropriately.

She immediately warned the man to stop touching her and went to the galley to prepare for landing, police said.

The accused was arrested after the plane landed, and officers from the Airport Police Division conducted follow-up investigations.

He is expected to return to court for a hearing on March 26 for a pre-trial conference, reported The Straits Times.

“Such offenders will be dealt with sternly in accordance with the law,” police said.

Those who use criminal force with the intent to outrage modesty can be jailed for up to three years, fined, caned, or receive any combination of these punishments.

Offenders who intentionally cause harassment can be jailed for up to six months, fined up to SGD5,000.