Connecticut psychiatric resident Abnishek Shah, arrested and charged with sexual assault of woman he met on dating site

December 13, 2012

West Hartford resident Abhishek Shah, a second-year psychiatry resident at the UConn Health Center, was released from jail Thursday after posting $75,000 bail and surrendering his passport. According to the Hartford Courant, Shah's parents traveled from New York to post the bail.

According to the Courant, police were dispatched to the apartment building at 1248 Farmingon Ave. where the assault allegedly occurred, and interviewed the the victim in the parking lot. The victim, who was reportedly distraught, claimed that Shah violated her with his hands and restrained her while he performed a sex act on himself.

According to the Courant, Shah denied violating the woman.

According to police, Shah met the woman through the online dating site PlentyofFish.com. Their first date was on Wednesday night, police said.

ORIGINAL STORY

West Hartford police have charged a local doctor with sexual assault and unlawful restraint in a Wednesday night incident involving a victim he allegedly met online through the dating site PlentyofFish.com.

According to police, Abhishek Shah, 31, of 1248 Farmington Ave., Apt. B3, West Hartford, was on a "first time" date with the victim Wednesday night. Police said that they were dispatched to Shah's apartment on a complaint of a physical assault that occurred during that date.

According to police, further investigation revealed that the victim was sexually and physically assaulted.

A spokesperson from the UConn Health Center confirmed that Shah is a second-year general psychiatry resident. He was doing rotations at all area hospitals including St. Francis, Hartford Hartford Hospital, Institute of Living, and Connecticut Valley Hospital.

Shah has been suspended and placed on administrative leave, the UConn spokesperson said Thursday morning.

Shah has been charged with first-degree sexual assault, third-degree assault, unlawful restraint, and disorderly conduct.

He is being held on $150,000 surety bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 20.

Source: Ronni Newton, "West Hartford Psychiatrist Charged with Sexual Assault of Online Dating Contact," West Hartford Patch,  December 6, 2012.