Key Points
- Balesh Dhankhar was sentenced to 40 years imprisonment for drugging and assaulting five women.
- He used fake job ads to lure victims, then drugged, assaulted, and recorded them.
- His own videos and records secured his conviction despite victims remembering little.
On 7 March, Balesh Dhankhar, a former community leader, was sentenced to 40 years in prison for sexually assaulting five young women.
Found guilty on 39 counts, he used deception, drugging, and covert recording over nine months.
Dhankhar used fake job ads for Korean interpreters to lure his victims.
The NSW District Court found that he then manipulated them into attending his apartment, where he drugged and assaulted them.
District Court Judge Michael King described his actions as “highly premeditated and devoid of empathy". The crimes were found to be "planned and organised" and Mr Dhankhar showed "no remorse" for his actions.
He has inflicted wounds on my soul. Even as I write this, my whole body trembles, and I know I will be haunted by nightmares.One of the victims in her Victim Impact Statement
One of the victims said that she now experiences racial and physical anxiety around dark-skinned men, avoiding them in public and at work.
Dhankhar must serve at least 30 years before parole eligibility in 2054 (with the sentence commencing on 13 April 2024).
His conviction in 2023 followed an extensive trial spanning five years, uncovering video recordings and a spreadsheet tracking his victims.
While the victims barely remembered what happened, his own videos and meticulous records became his guillotine, sealing his fate in court.
According to the judgement, Balesh Dhankhar tracked victims using an Excel spreadsheet, rating their vulnerability and suitability for his scheme.
He then lured them with fake job offers, ensuring they met his criteria before inviting them home, the judgement says.
Once at his apartment, he spiked their drinks with sedatives like Rohypnol and Zolpidem, rendering them unconscious before assaulting whilst video-recording the assaults, the judgement says.
He claimed it was "beside the point" whether he had sex with the victims and insisted his understanding of consent differed from the law’s definition.
Dhankhar lured unsuspecting Korean women through fake job ads and later manipulated them (representational image). Source: iStockphoto
The Overseas Friends of the Bharatiya Janata Party (OfBJP) condemned his crimes, stating that Dhankhar had no association with them since 2018 and affirming their support for law enforcement.
"His actions are abhorrent, and justice has rightly been served with his sentencing," OfBJP said.
Suresh Vallath, national vice president of the Indian Overseas Congress Australia, said, “While our sympathies are with his family, Australian law has taken due course, ensuring such crimes are punished".
"Political parties must be vigilant — those who bring disgrace must be held accountable."
The Hindu Council of Australia has been contacted for comments.
If you or someone you know is impacted by domestic or sexual violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, or visit . In an emergency, call 000.
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