Indian descent man sentenced for sexually abusing boy on plane
Darpan News Desk IANS, 31 Jan, 2022 12:23 PM
New York, Jan 31 (IANS) A man of Indian descent has been sentenced to 15 months in prison after being found guilty of sexually abusing a 16-year-old boy, who took pictures of the assault on a plane, according to the Justice Department and media reports.
Judge Nancy E. Brasel handed down the sentence to Neeraj Chopra, 41, in a federal court in Minneapolis, acting prosecutor Charles J. Kovats said on Friday.
He was found guilty in July of the incident in April 2019 but sentenced only this month.
According to prosecutors, Chopra had used a blanket to cover his lap and and the right leg of the teen and "began inappropriately touching the victim" while on the flight from Boston to Minneapolis.
"Chopra ignored the victim's multiple requests to stop and continued to inappropriately touch the victim," prosecutors said.
The legal media outlet, Law & Crime, citing court papers reported that the victim was a boy who had asked Chopra to stop the abuse and when it continued took pictures of the assault, which were produced in court as evidence.
The victim's older brother, who was seated in a row in front of him, reported seeing his brother cry and alerted their father who switched seats with the victim, the publication said.
Chopra was met by law enforcement when the plane reached Minneapolis.
The publication reported that Chopra had "admitted to touching the boy inappropriately, but said it was because he was asleep and having a bad dream 'about a family member being killed'".
Prominent retail business tycoon MA Yusuff Ali, who ranks at 394 on the list, is the richest Indian expat in UAE with assets estimated over USD 4.7 billion.
Former US First Lady Michelle Obama's memoir "Becoming" has sold over 10 million copies globally to date and is on track to becoming the most successful memoir in modern publishing history.
Through the resolution, the lawmakers demanded strict action against the culprits including controversial religious figures who are involved in forced conversions.
A top official of the Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said flights to Bangkok, New Delhi and Kuala Lumpur would remain suspended until further notice.
CBS’s Religion & Culture documentary series will launch an episode featuring youth from minority faiths, including the Sikh American community, on Sunday, March 31st.
The Al Maktoum Foundation Dubai, an organisation focused on humanitarian work at the local, regional and global levels, was the patron of the event, Gulf News reported on Monday.
