American Woman Accuses NRI Techie of Molesting Her at Delhi Hotel

A California-based Non-Resident Indian software engineer was arrested for allegedly molesting a 52-year-old American woman at a hotel in Delhi. The woman accused Anmol Singh Kharbanda, 25, of lacing her drink and then trying to grope her while she was not fully conscious, the police said on Jan. 12

The police arrested Kharbanda after a case of molestation was registered at Chanakyapuri Police Station, the Indian Express reported. Kharbanda met the American woman at the bar of Taj Diplomatic Enclave at 10 pm on Jan. 8, and they started having a conversation. He then offered her drinks in his hotel room and allegedly groped her, Additional Commissioner of Police BK Singh said, IANS reported.

“We registered an FIR under Sections 354 and 328 of the Indian Penal Code and got her statement recorded before the City Magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC,” Singh added.

The woman, who arrived in Indian on Jan. 6, said in her complaint that Kharbanda allegedly mixed something in her drink that made her feel light-headed, and then attempted to grope her, while she pushed him away and left.

Shaken after the incident, the woman, who was staying in another room at the same hotel, locked herself inside her room that night. She returned after a meeting from Jaipur the next evening and lodged a complaint against Kharbanda.

The man is a contractual employee with Google and was visiting India on business. The police took CCTV footage from the hotel, and are trying to check if the events match. The police also questioned the security and administrative personnel of the hotel.

Kharbanda has been sent to judicial custody. He was unaware of the complaint registered against him and carried on with his work. On Jan.9, when he returned to the hotel room, the security of the hotel updated the police, and he was then arrested.

“We have been made aware by the lady guest of this incident between her and another resident guest. We have been in contact with the lady guest, a formal complaint with the authorities was also facilitated by the hotel team,” a spokesperson for Taj Diplomatic Enclave said, the Times of India reported.