Singapore: A 46-year-old Indian national and Singapore permanent resident, Ankit Sharma, was sentenced to four years in jail and six strokes of the cane for molesting a woman at Changi City Point mall.
Sharma dragged a 31-year-old technology recruiter into a nursing room on March 1, 2023, and kissed her forcefully while making repeated sexual advances, the court heard. The woman had met Sharma for the first time that evening after a colleague shared his profile with her.
The meeting began professionally over drinks at a bar, but Sharma soon made sexual comments and asked intrusive personal questions, Deputy Public Prosecutor Sheldon Lim told the court. When the woman excused herself to use the washroom, Sharma waited outside and pulled her into the nursing room, ignoring her resistance.
Sharma denied the charges, claiming she consented. His defence argued the encounter was voluntary, but the court rejected this claim. The prosecution described the sexual exploitation as “extremely high” and the intrusion “intense and prolonged.”
The offence carries a penalty of two to ten years in prison and caning. Sharma’s lawyer requested a lighter sentence, but the court ruled for four years and six strokes, following the prosecution’s recommendation.
