Boston Doctor Charged With Lewd Conduct For Allegedly Masturbating In Front Of A 14-Year-Old On A Flight

A Massachusetts doctor was recently charged with lewd and indecent exposure. Dr. Sudipta Mohanty was on a flight from Honolulu to Boston when he allegedly masturbated in front of a girl. Mohanty has denied the allegation and was released with the condition to avoid underage people.

A spokesperson for the hospital Mohanty works at reportedly said that they're aware of the charges. U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy also issued a warning to people to avoid illicit behavior in his statement. A very similar case to Mohanty's lewd exposure allegations is Donald Robinson's arrest from last year. 

Keep on reading to learn more.

Dr. Sudipta Mohanty was arrested for allegedly masturbating on a flight next to a 14-year-old girl. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office of Massachusetts, Mohanty allegedly performed the lewd act on a flight from Honolulu to Boston in May 2022.

Mohanty, who works as a primary care physician, was on the flight with a female companion while the young girl was flying with her grandparents. According to filings, the girl noticed Mohanty jittering with his leg while he covered himself with a blanket.

She stated that he later removed the blanket, unzipped his pants, and masturbated to ejaculation. After that, Mohanty went to the restroom, and the girl moved to another seat because she felt "disgusted and very uncomfortable."

After the plane landed in Boston, the alleged victim told her family about the incident with Mohanty, and they, in turn, informed the police. Investigators used the girl's account along with airline and driver's license records to identify Mohanty and track him down.

When the doctor was eventually questioned by two FBI agents at home, he "appeared visibly nervous in that his hands and voice trembled." Mohanty has since denied the allegations against him and claims to "have no recollection of that."

On Thursday, Mohanty appeared with this lawyer in a Boston federal court. He was charged with lewd, indecent, and obscene acts while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. If convicted, he could face up to 90 days in prison, a fine of $5000 maximum, and a year of supervised release.

Mohanty was released on his personal recognizance and with his agreement to several conditions. These include that he must avoid people under 18 and any public places they may gather. Examples are schools, playgrounds, fast food restaurants, libraries, malls, etc.

Boston.com spoke to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, the hospital Mohanty works at. A spokesperson told the publication that they're aware of the charges against him. The statement read, "This individual is on leave and not currently practicing at BIDMC. We are unable to comment further on personnel matters."

The acting U.S. Attorney, Joshua Levy, also made a statement on the matter. It read, "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."

Mohanty's case is similar to another 2022 incident on a flight from Newark to Boston. The Massachusetts U.S. Attorney's Office confirmed that Donald Edward Robinson was arrested for exposing himself and masturbating during the flight. He also allegedly sexually harassed the female passenger sitting next to him.

Robinson was charged with one count of lewd, indecent, and obscene acts. According to the Attorney's Office (via Boston.com), the woman seated beside Robinson recorded a video showing him touching his penis through his clothes.

The victim also provided a statement that Robinson eventually exposed his genitals to masturbate openly. Just before landing, she claimed the man also touched her thigh and withdrew it when she asked why he was touching her. Upon landing, she reported the incident to the authorities, and Robinson was arrested.