Lynnfield Doctor Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Co-Worker
WOBURN (CBS) - A Lynn doctor accused of sexually assaulting his co-worker has been charged with indecent sexual assault and battery, authorities said.
Dr. Bhagwan Gupta, a physician cardiologist who has worked at Union Hospital in Lynn for 38 years, is scheduled to be arraigned on the charge on Dec. 22 in Lynn District Court, according to Essex County District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett's office.
Lynn Police filed a criminal complaint against Gupta, a Swampscott resident, after police began investigating allegations that Gupta had sexually assaulted his co-workers, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Middlesex Superior Court against Gupta by one of his alleged victims.
No one answered a knock to the door of Gupta's home on Tuesday afternoon. An employee at Gupta's private practice in Lynnfield told WBZ-TV that Gupta was busy seeing patients.
A Stoneham woman is seeking unspecified damages in the lawsuit against Gupta, which alleges that Gupta "forcefully groped" her while both were working together at Union Hospital in Lynn on Oct. 6, 2017.
The complaint alleges Gupta approached the woman from behind, then quickly placed his arms around her, "putting his hands on both her breasts, forcefully groped" and pressed "himself against her back and buttocks."
The woman, a nuclear medicine technologist, has worked with Gupta at the hospital for more than a decade.
The complaint also alleges Gupta assaulted a second female co-worker in a similar way several months prior.
In a statement, North Shore Medical Center, which operates Union Hospital, did not name Gupta but said it is investigating a recent allegation against a private practice physician that uses the Lynn facility.
"North Shore Medical Center works diligently to provide a safe and supportive environment for our staff and patients and takes very seriously any allegations of sexual misconduct," the statement said. "We are conducting a thorough investigation into the recent claim. This allegation involves a private practice physician who periodically performed diagnostic testing at our Lynn hospital facility."
"Upon learning of the complaint, we took immediate action to prevent the physician from any further practice at our facilities while the investigation is under way," the statement said. "Outside of recent claims, there have been no similar complaints involving this physician made by any of our patients or employees."
The woman claims she reported the incidents to another doctor, who reported it to other doctors, but that the hospital "took no immediate action" against Gupta. The hospital suspended Gupta on Oct. 24, court documents show.
The woman is seeking unspecified damages for indecent sexual assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, violation of civil rights, violation of equal rights and defamation.
