Indian American Doctor in Georgia Accused of Sexually Assaulting Female Veteran Patients
- Rajesh Motibhai Patel, a primary care physician at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Decatur, was charged for violating his patients’ constitutional right to bodily integrity.
An Indian American doctor in Georgia has been indicted for sexually assaulting female veteran patients, the Department of Justice announced last week. Rajesh Motibhai Patel, a primary care physician at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Decatur, was charged on May 4 with “multiple counts of violating his patients’ constitutional right to bodily integrity while acting under color of law and for engaging in unwanted sexual contact,” the DoJ said. He pleaded not guilty at a hearing last week, Stars and Stripes reported, citing court documents.
Patel worked as a primary care doctor there from Dec. 13, 2015, to Feb. 4, 2020, Stars and Stripes reported, citing court documents unsealed on May 5. “The hospital reassigned Patel to a job without patient interaction,” the multimedia news organization noted, quoting a VA statement.
According to U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan, the charges, and other information presented in court, “between 2019 and 2020, Patel, 68, allegedly assaulted four of his female patients during routine exams, groped their breasts, and improperly touched their vaginal area,” the DoJ said. Investigators believe that he may have victimized additional patients.
“Our Veterans have made incredible sacrifices for our country and deserve the best medical treatment and highest quality of care,” said U.S. Attorney Buchanan. “Patel allegedly sexually abused his female patients and violated his oath to do no harm to patients under his care.”