A Massachusetts doctor has been arrested for allegedly exposing himself and masturbating next to a 14-year-old girl on a flight from Hawaii while other passengers slept.
Dr. Sudipta Mohanty, 33, of Cambridge, was arrested Thursday and accused of performing the lewd act on Hawaiian Airlines Flight 90 from Honolulu to Boston in May last year, the US Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts said.
Mohanty, a primary care physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, was flying with a female companion and seated next to the girl, who was traveling with her grandparents, according to charging documents.
About halfway through the flight, the girl noticed that Mohanty had covered himself with a blanket up to his neck and that his leg was bouncing up and down, the affidavit states.
She then observed that the blanket was no longer covering Mohanty, whose pants were unzipped as he masturbated until ejaculation, according to the filing.
When Mohanty went to the plane’s restroom, the girl moved to an empty seat in another row for the rest of the flight because she felt “disgusted and very uncomfortable,” the filing said.
The accused perv and his companion had earlier been “holding hands and cuddling with each other. They were asking each other ‘basic level’ questions such as, ‘What is your favorite color?’ which (the girl) found strange,” the affidavit says.
After landing in Boston, the girl informed her family about the sickening incident and authorities were notified.
When questioned by two FBI agents at his home, Mohanty “appeared visibly nervous in that his hands and voice trembled,” officials said.
He denied the allegation, saying, “I have no recollection of that.”
Mohanty appeared in federal court in Boston on Thursday after being charged with one count of lewd, indecent and obscene acts while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States.
The charge carries a sentence of up to 90 days in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $5,000.
He was released on his personal recognizance, with conditions that include staying away from people under 18 and any places where they might gather.
A spokesperson for Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center told Boston.com that the hospital is aware of the allegations.
“This individual is on leave and not currently practicing at BIDMC. We are unable to comment further on personnel matters,” the hospital said in a statement.
Acting US Attorney Joshua Levy said in a statement: “Everyone, especially children, has the absolute right to not be exposed to lewd conduct when they are traveling.
“If you engage in the type of illicit behavior alleged here, you will be caught and held accountable wherever it happens,” he added.
The Post has reached out to Hawaiian Airlines for comment. Mohanty could not immediately be reached.
