The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The 39 year old tour operator, Dorji Tshering, who was detained by Paro police after he was accused of assaulting and sexually harassing a 29 year old foreign national of Melbourne, Australia in a drunken state on the early morning of 5 December, 2012 was granted bail by the Paro dzongkhag court yesterday.
The suspect had to pay an amount of Nu 100,000 to court as a bail fee.
Earlier a total of seven charges were levied on the 39 year old tourist guide by the Paro police after the investigation was completed but however one charge against him was dropped.
The suspect was booked for the offence of battery, sexual harassment, trespassing, reckless endangerment, official misconduct, and harassment.
However, the defendant refused to accept three charges which were pinned on him – harassment, Battery and sexual harassment, but only the charge of sexual harassment was dropped.
The case was registered with the Paro dzongkhag court for further process by the Office of Attorney General (OAG) on 12 December.
The victim had flown from Bangkok on 4 December alone and was received as a tourist by the tour agency operated by the suspect.
Following the incident the Secretariat of the Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB) cancelled the license of M/s Bhutan Kuenphen Tours & Treks and Dorji Tshering the suspect who is also the proprietor and tour operator of the company.
The suspect and his company has been blacklisted by the Secretariat and barred from conducting tourism-related business last year.
On 4 December, after having dinner the suspect had asked the victim if she wanted to visit some bars in the town (Paro). During the course of a night out, the suspect had got drunk. The victim had also consumed some beer and Ara (local brewed alcohol).
While on their way back to the hotel room, the suspect in a drunken state tried to touch her and when she tried to escape the suspect had pushed her below the chest several times.
The victim had managed to escape and hide behind the bushes and managed to call police for the help.
The incident had taken place near bird’s eye view, opposite airport, Paro.
The suspect was arrested on 5 December from one of the hotel rooms in Paro where he was found sleeping. The suspect had entered the room through the window since the keys were with the victim.
Chencho Dema / Thimphu
This tour agent is having excess money and finally he closes his business with just few glasses of drinks….. good news