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Man acquitted of molesting woman in nursing room; judge finds woman’s testimony ‘problematic’
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Justice Tan noted that during the trial, the defence repeatedly pressed the woman on why she had not simply left the restaurant.
PHOTO: ST FILE
Published May 26, 2026, 07:56 PM
Updated May 26, 2026, 10:23 PM
SINGAPORE - A man who was sentenced to four years’ jail and six strokes of the cane in 2025 for molesting a woman in the nursing room of a shopping mall has been acquitted following his appeal.
In overturning the conviction against Mr Ankit Sharma on May 25, High Court Judge Christopher Tan said it was not safe to convict the appellant as there were several inconsistencies in the woman’s testimony.
He found her evidence, specifically regarding why she continued to stay with the man even though she was supposedly distressed by his sexually explicit questions, to be “problematic”.
There is a gag order in place against the disclosure of the woman’s identity.
Mr Sharma was accused of molesting the woman on the night of March 1, 2023, in the nursing room in Changi City Point by kissing her on the lips and by grabbing her hand and forcing her to touch him.
The woman, who was then a recruiter at a recruitment firm, was meeting him for the first time to discuss a possible job opening.
The two went to a restaurant in the mall at about 6.30pm and had alcoholic drinks.
According to the woman, the conversation moved from professional topics to personal matters.
At about 8.45pm, she excused herself to go to the toilet as she was uncomfortable with the questions Mr Sharma was asking about her boyfriend, she said.
She messaged her then boyfriend to check in with her at 9pm before she returned to the restaurant and ordered her fourth round of drinks.
The woman said Mr Sharma began asking her sexual questions. At 9.25pm, she excused herself to go to the toilet a second time as she was highly distressed, she said.
She called a friend to pick her up from the mall. She also spoke to her boyfriend over the phone and asked him to come to the mall.
As she exited the toilet, she said, Mr Sharma pulled her into the nursing room and molested her. When he began touching himself, she called her manager.
The woman said he stopped what he was doing and walked out after telling her to act as if nothing had happened.
At the urging of her manager, the woman called the police and Mr Sharma was arrested at the scene.
Mr Sharma gave a largely similar account, but maintained that the conversation was mutually enjoyable and that the incident was consensual.
He said it was the woman who started asking personal questions, and that she had propositioned him to go to a hotel, but he turned her down.
Mr Sharma denied that he asked her intimate questions, and said she had insisted on kissing him in the nursing room.
He said the acts took place with her consent and that she had offered to touch him.
