- Sonik Archana Susheel was fined for molesting nightclub server.
- Incident occurred March 14; she pleaded guilty to charges.
- Victim sought additional compensation for alleged job loss.
- Court declined further compensation, citing insufficient evidence.
A 32-year-old Indian woman has been fined S$2,500 (approximately US$1,950) by a Singapore court after pleading guilty to molesting a female server at a nightclub.
The victim, whose identity is protected by a gag order, appeared in court on Thursday (October 29) to seek additional compensation, claiming that she had lost her job following the incident, CNA reported.
Sonik Archana Susheel pleaded guilty to one count of molestation. The court heard that she visited a popular nightclub at around 11 pm on March 13 to meet a friend. She had consumed alcohol at home and continued drinking at the venue.
The incident took place shortly after midnight on March 14, when Sonik was dancing alone and the victim, along with two colleagues, walked past her.
The victim worked as a “bottle girl”, a waitress responsible for delivering entire bottles of liquor to customers’ tables. She nearly collided with Sonik, who was dancing erratically.
Sonik then touched the victim’s buttocks and pushed her in the stomach area before showing her the middle finger.
The victim responded with an expletive and, distressed by the incident, sought help from the nightclub’s bouncers. Her superiors asked her to rest in the kitchen and later reported the matter to the police. Sonik was arrested the same day.
The nightclub has not been named to protect the victim’s identity.
Sonik’s Lawyer Says Molestation Was ‘Out Of Character’
Deputy Public Prosecutor Yohanes Ng sought a fine of S$2,500, a recommendation the defence said was fair.
Defence lawyer Ariffin Sha of Shehzhadee Law told the court that Sonik had no previous convictions and had voluntarily paid S$1,500 in compensation to the victim.
“Her actions were entirely out of character,” he said, adding that they were not motivated by sexual gratification.
Victim Seeks Additional Compensation, Claims She Lost Job
The victim confirmed that she had received the S$1,500 compensation but told the court she wanted to seek further payment for the financial losses she said she had suffered after the incident.
“As a result of this case, I was subsequently fired from the job,” she said, adding that she believed it was because of the trouble caused by the incident.
She told the court that she was removed from her work group chat a week after the incident and taken off all her work schedules the following month.
The victim estimated that she had lost around six months of income, amounting to approximately S$18,000.
“Because of the mental distress that I faced, I subsequently left the whole industry as a whole,” she said. She added that the loss of income had affected her ability to pay her school fees and meet her daily expenses.
When asked how much additional compensation she was seeking, the victim said she was unsure and requested the court’s guidance on what would be a fair amount. Sonik covered her mouth with her hands when she heard the estimated loss.
The defence lawyer said the S$1,500 already paid was intended to compensate the victim for the emotional harm she had suffered.
While expressing sympathy for the victim’s claim over the loss of her job, Ariffin argued that there was no clear link between the offence and her employment loss. He also said that a compensation order in the criminal proceedings was not the appropriate way to recover such damages.
Principal District Judge Lee Lit Cheng said there was insufficient evidence for the court to determine whether further compensation was warranted or what amount should be awarded. She said the matter would be more appropriately addressed in a different forum.
As Sonik had already made a voluntary payment of S$1,500, the judge declined to issue an additional compensation order.
For the offence of outrage of modesty, Sonik could have faced up to three years in jail, a fine, or both. However, caning is not applicable to women under Singapore law.
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