According to U.S. federal officials, an Indian-American man has been accused of sexual assault on the plane.
In a statement last week, Montana federal prosecutor Kurt Alme said in a statement last week that Bhaveshkumar Dahyabhai Shukla said in a statement last week that he had been charged with “abusely sexual contact” during a flight from Montana to Texas.
He said Shukla will appear in court on April 17.
He was arrested in New Jersey, where he resided and agreed to move to Montana to face prosecution.
Shukla, 36, was arrested when the alleged victim’s husband complained to law enforcement when she sent him a text message about the alleged attack, court documents seen by IANS said.
With the tip, the airport police met him at the airport.
In an affidavit filed in the Montana federal court on January 26, FBI special agent Chad McNiven said Shukla had allegedly inappropriately contacted the woman twice during a flight from Belgrade, Montana to Dallas, Texas.
McNevin said the alleged victim told the FBI that he first touched “her thighs, butt and lower back” and stopped in the protest.
But when she came back from the bathroom trip, he said she said he “wiped” her in those areas, using her coat to try to cover up her actions, according to complaints recorded by airport police.
McNevin said the alleged attack was confirmed by another passenger.
He said the alleged victim texted her husband to the assault and called the FBI and airport police.
McNeville said when the officers faced the police, Shukla claimed not to speak English, even though he spoke to his daughter in English.
However, according to court documents, a Gujarati interpreter was used when the place where the federal court where he was resided after his arrest was used.
