An American doctor will likely be regretting his risky few minutes of mid-flight R&R after being caught in the act by an unsuspecting teenage passenger.
People get up to all sorts of less-than-advisable things while soaring through the air — from urinating all over business class to tearing off your clothes and biting police officers — but an incident reported this weekend involving an American medical professional really takes the biscuit: Dr. Sudipta Mohanty, a 33-year-old internal medicine and primary care practitioner, is facing serious legal consequences after allegedly engaging in “lewd behaviour” on a Hawaiian Airlines flight.
As reported by Live And Let’s Fly, the Boston doctor has been charged with lewd, indecent, and obscene acts after being caught red-handed by a 14-year-old girl. The incident, which took place on May 27, 2022, unfolded when Mohanty — who was seated in close proximity to a 14-year-old girl and her grandparents — began when the young girl saw that Mohanty had covered himself up to the neck with a large blanket…
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This all sounds fairly innocent, but things took a turn for the worse when the teen noticed Mohanty’s leg moving in a rhythmic manner… Shortly thereafter, suspicions were confirmed as the blanket slipped off Mohanty, revealing that he was in fact pleasuring himself mid-flight for everyone to see. Understandably disturbed by the situation, the teenage passenger promptly relocated to an empty seat in a different row for the remainder of the flight.
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On landing, law enforcement was immediately informed and Mohanty was quickly charged and arrested. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy underscored the importance of maintaining a safe and respectful environment for all passengers, saying this:
“Everyone, especially children, has the absolute right to not be exposed to lewd conduct when they are travelling. If you engage in the type of illicit behaviour alleged here, you will be caught and held accountable wherever it happens.”
United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy
Dr. Sudipta Mohanty now faces severe legal consequences for his actions: if convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 90 days in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5,000 USD. Whatever the precise sentence he comes away with, what boggles the mind of many is why someone with such a respected career and societal standing — all of which would’ve taken nigh-on a decade to attain — was willing to throw it all away for a fleeting and wholly inappropriate kick.
His motives, however, are ultimately meaningless; the doctor will have to stand by his actions and embrace whatever justice is handed down to him. The wider issue here is how we can make aeroplanes — along with any other public space — safer for everyone involved. Stories of eccentric mid-flight behaviour only seem to be becoming more prevalent in the news cycle, so it may be time for airlines and regulators to take a hard look at how this environment can be made better for everyone involved.