HC seeks record of doctor indicted in US for sexual offence

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The Delhi High Court on Friday sought the record of an Indian doctor indicted by a US court in 2011 for conducting unwarranted medical examinations on women patients, his plea bargain and other details.

Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar called for the records on his conviction and settlements entered into with the victims before the US court, and posted the matter for July 19.

The doctor was present in the hearing and sought plea bargaining.

The High Court earlier took suo motu cognizance of a media report that the doctor barred from professional practice by the US court is examining patients in Gurugram and Delhi.

In plea bargain proceedings, the Investigating Officer, the Public Prosecutor, the victim of a crime, the complainant and the person accused of an offence join hands to voluntarily settle a pending criminal case to one another's mutual satisfaction. The process is completely voluntary.

If the plea bargain succeeds, the criminal case is disposed of in terms of the agreed settlement. If the plea bargain does not succeed, the criminal case proceeds from the stage when the plea bargain application was filed.

The doctor was barred from professional practice by the US court, which said he deserves to be barred from practising in India as well.

The Delhi High Court bench took note of the media report that the doctor had in 2010 pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual battery for unwarranted medical examinations on women patients.

After plea bargain negotiations before the Georgia court, the doctor was permitted to leave the US on surrendering his United States Medical Licence and was disallowed to practice medicine in any form within the US or any other country, said the news report.

Sanjeev Jain, Member-Secretary of the Delhi State Legal Services Authority, who was asked to inquire about the doctor, told the court that the doctor has been running clinics in Delhi and Gurugram.

--IANS

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