‘Pretending To Sleep’: Indian-Origin Man Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting A Woman On US Flight, Faces Up To Two Years in Jail

An Indian man, Varun Arora, has been found guilty of abusive sexual contact and assault on a US flight. The US Attorney’s Office in Virginia announced the conviction on January 30. Now, Arora faces up to two years in prison, with sentencing set for May 7, 2026.

Who is Varun Arora? 

According to court records, Arora, who is 38, sexually groped a woman while she was asleep on a flight from Rhode Island to Washington, D.C., back on August 29, 2024.

The Department of Justice said the woman woke up to find Arora touching her. He wore a sleep mask and pretended to sleep while continuing to put his hand on her. The woman tried to push his hand away several times during the plane’s descent.

The DOJ also said Arora is in the US without legal status.

Indian-Origin Man Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Woman On US Flight

Special Assistant US Attorney Madison Mumma and Assistant US Attorney Russell L. Carlberg are prosecuting the case, with the FBI’s Washington Field Office handling the investigation.

This case comes as the Department of Homeland Security steps up its immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.

On Tuesday, DHS posted on X, saying their officers would keep arresting criminals including kidnappers and sex offenders, and boasting that they’d removed over 700,000 “criminal illegal aliens.” They added, “These public safety threats have no place in our communities.”

Federal immigration authorities keep repeating that they have zero tolerance for people in the US unlawfully, especially those convicted of crimes. The message from officials is clear: they don’t want “criminal illegal aliens” in American communities.  

MUST READ: Could China Strike India Instead Of Taiwan? Ex-US Marine Intel Officer Sounds Alarm: ‘Hope Somebody’s Ready For That’