VALPARAISO | A Chesterton doctor has been charged with sexually assaulting a nurse while they were working Sept. 12 at the Valparaiso Care & Rehabilitation Center.
Abdus S. Lakhani, 50, of 1559 Sand Creek Drive, was charged with felony sexual battery and faces between six months and three years behind bars if convicted.
The Indiana Professional Licensing Agency, which oversees the state's medical licensing board, planned to file a consumer complaint Tuesday with the state attorney general's office that could result in Lakhani having his license suspended while an investigation proceeds, IPLA General Counsel Marty Allain said.
The purported victim, who is a female nurse, told police Lakhani arrived at the center at 11 a.m. Sept. 12 and asked her to step inside in a lounge to discuss a patient.
She said Lakhani pushed her into a corner and then forced her into an embrace and kiss. She accused him further of fondling her and forcing her hand to touch his crotch, both over their clothing.
Lakhani then said he would be back at 3:30 p.m. when she got off work, the purported victim said. The woman said she told a co-worker what had happened and Lakhani showed up for a short time at the same work station.
When he left, she said she noticed a piece of paper missing that contained her name and telephone number. She told police the information was intended for a co-worker as part of her side job selling purses.
The woman accused Lakhani of making more than 30 calls from 3:18 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., in addition to calling the center three times and having her paged.
Police said they met Oct. 1 with center Director Ron Arndt, who said Lakhani called him the day following the alleged attack and accused the purported victim of being "forward" with him and giving him her telephone number. He accused the woman of asking him to pick her up after work.
When informed of the accusations against him by Arndt, Lakhani reportedly became nervous and said he called as many times as he did in an attempt to tell her he was not going to pick her up after work.
Neither Lakhani nor Arndt could be reached Tuesday for comment.
Allain said the attorney general's office could request an emergency suspension of Lakhani's license if he is deemed a public threat. Its investigation eventually could result in Lakhani losing his license or having it suspended, or lesser or no penalties.
