NH Medical Board Suspends Psychiatrist Ashok Bharucha; Charged with Sexual Contact with Male Patient

July 29, 2020

On July 10, 2020, the New Hampshire Board of Medicine suspended the license of psychiatrist Ashok J. Bharucha.

Bharucha holds a license to practice medicine in the New Hampshire, which was first issued on July 1, 1998. He is a geriatric psychiatrist at Generations Geriatric Mental Health in Manchester, New Hampshire for eight to twelve weeks per year and also operates a solo practice in State College, Pennsylvania.

The Board has received information indicating that the continued practice of medicine by Bharucha poses an imminent threat to life, safety, and/or health, which warrants the temporary suspension of his license to practice medicine pending a hearing on whether disciplinary sanctions should be imposed.

Following media reports about the arrest of Bharucha in Pennsylvania, a Report of Preliminary Investigation was provided to the Board.

In support of this Order of Emergency License Suspension and Notice of Hearing, the Board alleges the following facts:

• On June 16, 2020, a male ("the patient") arrived in the lobby of the State College, Pennsylvania police station to report a sexual assault.

• The male reported that he was a patient of Bharucha and had met with him for an appointment earlier that day in Bharucha’s office.

• During the appointment, Bharucha moved close to where the patient was seated on a couch and placed his hand on the patient’s shoulder and later the small of his back.

• The patient reported that Bharucha then placed his hand under his clothing, into his pants, and touched his penis.

• The patient said that he froze and then Bharucha "unbuckled" the patient’s pants and pulled them down. He reported that Bharucha then put his lips on the victim's exposed penis.

• Following that, Bharucha moved the patient’s hand to the patient’s penis.

• The patient reported that he did not consent to any of the physical contact that occurred

Based upon the above information, the Board finds that the case involves imminent danger to life, safety, and/or health. Further, the Board believes there is a reasonable basis for immediately suspending Bharucha’s license on a temporary basis and commencing an adjudicatory proceeding.

Source: Order of Emergency License Suspension and Notice of Hearing in the Matter of Ashok J. Bharucha, M.D., License No. 10320, Docket No. 20-MED-0008, State of New Hampshire Board of Medicine, URL: https://www.oplc.nh.gov/medicine/documents/20200710-ashok-bharucha.pdf