An Indian woman has been fined S$2,500 in Singapore after pleading guilty to molesting a 20-year-old waitress at a rooftop bar. The woman, identified as Sonik Archana Susheel, 32, touched the waitress inappropriately, pushed her and made an offensive hand gesture while intoxicated.
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According to Channel News Asia (CNA), Sonik pleaded guilty to one charge of molestation and was fined by a Singapore court on Thursday (October 29).
What happened at the rooftop bar?
The incident occurred at a rooftop bar at Marina Bay Sands in the early hours of March 14, 2026.
According to Mothership, citing Shin Min Daily News, Sonik had consumed alcohol at home before arriving at the bar around 11 pm on March 13 to continue drinking and partying with friends.
At approximately 12.33 am, she was dancing alone when the waitress, who was preparing to finish her shift, walked past with two colleagues.
{{/usCountry}}At approximately 12.33 am, she was dancing alone when the waitress, who was preparing to finish her shift, walked past with two colleagues.
{{/usCountry}}Sonik then touched the waitress inappropriately, pushed her and showed her the middle finger. The interaction lasted approximately five seconds, according to Shin Min Daily News.
The distressed waitress immediately sought assistance from security personnel, and police were subsequently alerted. Sonik was arrested at the scene and released on bail later that day.
Lawyer says woman was 'deeply remorseful'
During the hearing, prosecutors sought a fine of S$2,500, noting that Sonik had no previous criminal convictions.
Her lawyer, Ariffin Sha, argued that the incident was not motivated by sexual gratification and described his client as "deeply remorseful", Mothership reported.
According to CNA, the lawyer told the court that Sonik had voluntarily paid S$1,500 to the waitress as compensation for emotional distress.
He also stated that she was willing to cover the victim's therapy expenses and requested leniency.
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Waitress seeks additional compensation
The waitress also appeared in court seeking further compensation, claiming that she had lost her job following the incident.
She told the court that she had lost approximately six months of income, amounting to S$18,000, which she had intended to use for her education and daily living expenses, CNA reported.
However, Principal District Judge Lee Lit Cheng declined to order further compensation, citing insufficient evidence to determine the appropriate amount.
The judge said the employment-related claim would be better addressed through a separate legal forum.