Doctor accused again of sexual abuse of patient - Chicago News and Weather | FOX 32 News

A doctor from Advocate Christ Medical Center accused of fondling a patient in the hospital has also been charged with the criminal sexual abuse of another patient, police said.

Rajat Prakash, 46, turned himself in again to Oak Lawn police on May 2, Division Chief Mike Kaufmann said Friday. Charged with felony criminal sexual abuse with force, Prakash was freed on $25,000 bond, Sun-Times Media is reporting.

The victim, a 46-year-old woman, came forward in February after reading about Prakash's earlier alleged attack on a hospital patient.

Prakash requested a meeting with her off the hospital grounds to discuss her medical records, Cook County State's Attorney's office spokesman Andy Conklin said.

The woman told police Prakash lured her into his car about 7:45 p.m. on Nov. 1, saying he wanted to discuss a medical issue, Kaufmann said. He locked the car doors, Conklin said, tried to kiss her, grabbed her breasts twice as she resisted, then pulled her hand onto his groin.

Police interviewed the woman in February but charges were not filed at that time, Kaufmann said. It took time to arrange for a prosecutor to interview both her and Prakash, he said.

A doctor in Illinois since 1993, Prakash, of Oak Brook, may continue to practice medicine but only while accompanied by a chaperone, according to the Illinois Department of Professional and Financial Regulation. Following his first arrest, his license was briefly suspended after he failed to supply the department with his chaperone plan, a spokeswoman said.

While that suspension has since been lifted, a hospital spokesman said Prakash is on leave.

Prakash returns to Cook County Circuit Court in Bridgeview on May 17 to face the misdemeanor battery charge.

In that case he's accused of touching a 32-year-old patient he was treating at the hospital in November.

Prakash's attorney, Nicholas Faklis, said he's confident the doctor will be acquitted, questioning the delay in filing charges.

"Why did it take three months to charge someone? They knew what they knew in February," he said. "I find it very unusual."