Indian-Origin Man Gets 40 Years in Australia for Assaulting Korean Women

An Australian court has sentenced Balesh Dhankar, an Indian-origin man, to 40 years in prison for sexually assaulting multiple South Korean women under the guise of offering them jobs. Dhankar was found guilty of luring victims through fake job advertisements, inviting them for interviews, drugging them, and committing sexual assaults.

The victims, aged between 21 and 27, were rendered unconscious before being assaulted. Authorities also discovered that Dhankar recorded the assaults and used the footage for blackmail. The District Court judge stated that Dhankar, who presented himself as a consultant, meticulously planned the crimes and ensured that the victims were in an incapacitated state when assaulted.

Dhankar was arrested by Australian police in 2018 following a complaint from one of the victims. In 2023, the court found him guilty. Despite being a well-regarded figure in the Indian community in Australia, his crimes shocked many after his arrest.

With his conviction now confirmed, the court has sentenced Dhankar to 40 years in prison, specifying that he will not be eligible for parole for at least 30 years.