Washington, DC: A federal jury in Virginia has convicted 38-year-old Indian national Varun Arora for abusive sexual contact and assault after groping a sleeping passenger on a domestic US flight, according to reports. The brazen August 29, 2024, incident aboard a Rhode Island-to-Washington D.C. flight underscores vulnerabilities in air travel, with sentencing set for May 7, 2026.
The incident occurred during the plane’s final descent from TF Green International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport whewn the victim awoke to Arora’s hand groping her intimately. Despite her repeated attempts to remove it and pleas to stop, Arora — wearing a sleep mask — pretended to be asleep and persisted, court records reveal. The Eastern District of Virginia prosecutor’s trial evidence exposed his deliberate actions in the confined cabin space.
Reports said that Arora, residing in the US without lawful immigration status, was found guilty following a jury trial on January 28, 2026. He faces up to two years in prison, guided by federal sentencing factors including victim impact and his lack of status. US Attorney Kenneth Polite emphasized protecting passengers from such predatory behavior, vowing zero tolerance.
The conviction revives scrutiny on in-flight assaults, echoing past cases involving Indian nationals like Prabhu Ramamoorthy’s 2018 sentencing.
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