Washington, DC, 04 February (H.S.): A federal jury in Alexandria, Virginia, convicted 38-year-old Indian national Varun Arora on Thursday, January 29, 2026, of abusive sexual contact and assault aboard a domestic flight, with sentencing slated for May 7; he faces up to two years imprisonment under U.S. law as an unauthorized resident.

Court records reveal that during the August 29, 2024, flight from Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, a female passenger awoke during landing to find Arora illicitly touching her private areas while feigning sleep with a sleep mask, persisting despite her repeated attempts to remove his hand.

The FBI's Washington field office investigated, prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Madison Mumma and Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell L. Carlberg; a federal district judge will determine the sentence considering U.S. sentencing guidelines, statutory factors, and discretion.

Arora, lacking lawful U.S. status, was arrested August 2025 and indicted that October after victim identification via flight manifests and partial photo matching his driver's license.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar