A man accused of sexually assaulting a woman on a flight to Australia made a bold request to be granted bail in order to reside at an eight-bedroom Airbnb property. However, the magistrate ruled against this arrangement, deeming the Airbnb accommodation as highly inappropriate.
Sudhir Kumar Chauhan, aged 52, appeared in Perth Magistrates Court facing charges of sexual intercourse without consent and indecent assault following an incident on a Scoot Airlines flight from Singapore to Perth. During the flight, Chauhan allegedly touched the woman inappropriately for over 10 minutes while she was awake, only stopping when she signaled her awareness of the situation.
Chauhan’s defense proposed that he be allowed to stay at the Airbnb for three months under certain conditions, including surrendering his passport, observing a curfew, and not leaving the state. However, the prosecution opposed this bail request citing concerns about the risk of further incidents occurring, especially since other individuals could also be staying at the property simultaneously.
The magistrate ultimately denied Chauhan’s bail application, emphasizing the seriousness of the allegations and the unsuitability of the proposed Airbnb residence. Consequently, Chauhan was remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear in court via video link on July 10.