Hyderabad doctor gets 10-yr rigorous imprisonment in sexual abuse case

HYDERABAD: Reputed city-based pulmonologist Dr B. Vijay Bhaskar, accused of sexually assaulting a woman at his clinic in Secunderabad in 2016, was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years. Dr Bhaskar was the first candidate to get a doctorate in pulmonary medicine in India.

Dr Bhaskar, who has been running Bhaskar's Chest Clinic opposite the Regional Passport Office in Secunderabad, committed the offence, when the victim, who was then 59, came to him for treatment. Stating that it was a part of the medical procedure, he assaulted the victim. The Xl additional metropolitan session court at Nampally relied on the victim's statement and medical and scientific evidence submitted by the prosecution and pronounced the verdict on Monday. The court also directed Dr Bhaskar to pay a fine of `5,000.

The victim was a regular patient of Dr Bhaskar. In May 2016, when she came to him for treatment, Dr Bhaskar touched her private parts saying that was part of the treatment. In October 2016 again, when she came to him for treatment, the victim noticed another young woman along with her mother inside the doctor's chamber quarrelling with him.

On inquiry, the woman informed the victim that the doctor had also touched the woman inappropriately and abused her sexually. The victim then lodged a complaint at the Gopalapuram police station, following which a case was booked against the doctor. He was arrested and sent to judicial remand.

After the police filed a chargesheet, the court took up the trial and heard the victim, other witnesses and the evidence submitted before it. The court found Dr Bhaskar guilty of the offences charged against him and sentenced him to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years.