Mumbai Cosmetic Surgeon Arrested on Molestation Charge

A cosmetic surgeon of Mumbai in western India arrested on a charge of molesting a TV journalist.

Vijay Sharma, a cosmetic surgeon of Mumbai, India’s commercial metropolis, was arrested on Saturday on charges of molesting a 22-year-old TV journalist in his clinic.

Police sources said Dr Sharma (45) had confessed to his crime at the police station. However, his wife Vandana alleged that he had been framed by his business rivals.

According to police, the doctor was first interviewed at his home by the crew of the ITN, Mumbai, a soon-to-be-launched Hindi news channel. They then headed to his clinic for more footage.

After the shoot, Dr Sharma reportedly asked the cameraman to wait outside his cabin as he wanted to talk to the reporter in private.

He then attempted to molest her and managed to kiss her too, but the girl grabbed a steel rod lying around there, threatened to hit him and that worked. Sharma reluctantly released her, and she ran for her life.

Dr Sharma has a flourishing business as a cosmetic surgeon, with clinics at two suburbs.

Medical associations and doctors refused to comment on the incident. Asked how medical associations dealt with such cases, Dr Lalit Kapoor, who heads the medico-legal cell of the Association of Medical Consultants, said, "We treat them as allegations until investigating agencies establish the case. While medical associations are not statutory bodies, if such charges are established, the medical council can take action.''

Vice-president of ITN channel Sanjeev Latkar told the Times of India that the journalist, who was barely six months into the profession, had returned to the office in a state of shock. It was at the instance of her colleagues the girl chose to lodge a police complaint against Sharma.

Dr Sharma allegedly called the victim on her cellphone when she was on her way to the police station and threatened her with dire consequences if she lodged any complaint aginst him.

Dr Sharma's wife Vandana, a doctor herself, contended that her husband had been framed by his business rivals as he had just launched a new polyclinic. "How can this incident happen in the clinic which has two women staffers and a peon?'' she wanted to know.

The couple's daughter Veronica said, "It took 23 years for my dad to build his career. He has a name in the industry but those who are behind this conspiracy have ruined it all in a few minutes.''

Source-Medindia
GPL/GA