Grand jury indicts psychiatrist for illegally distributed drugs resulting in five deaths

March 22, 2012

A federal grand jury indicted an Oklahoma City psychiatrist Wednesday on charges he illegally distributed drugs including morphine and oxycodone to eight people, five of whom died.

Amar Nath Bhandary, 51, was charged in a 53-count indictment alleging that he dispensed various controlled drugs to eight people outside the course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose in 2008 and 2009.

It is also alleged that Bhandary's actions resulted in the death of five of those people from drug toxicity. The drugs allegedly dispensed by the doctor are pain relievers and depressants. They include morphine, fentanyl, oxycodone, oxymorphone, meperidine, alprazolam, diazepam, temazepam and clonazepam, according to the indictment.

Calls to Bhandary's office Wednesday were answered with a recorded message saying he is closing his medical practice.

Read the indictment here.

Source: Tim Willert, "OKC psychiatrist indicted on drug charges," The Oklahoman, March 21, 2012.