COLUMBIANA CO. Molester doctor awaits sentence

The convicted doctor was led from the courtroom in handcuffs.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- A physician faces up to 61/2 years in prison after being convicted of molesting two female patients.
A seven-man, five-woman jury in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court deliberated nearly six hours Thursday before finding Dr. Anil Bajaj, 40, formerly of St. Clair Township, guilty of sexual battery and gross sexual imposition. The maximum penalty for the former is five years, and 11/2 for the latter.
Judge C. Ashley Pike, who presided over the trial, set a Feb. 14 sentencing date and increased Dr. Bajaj's bond from $25,000 to $250,000.
Dr. Bajaj, who had been free on bond, was led from the courtroom in handcuffs after the verdict and was taken to the county jail.
Authorities said Dr. Bajaj, who lives now in New Jersey, molested two Wellsville women July 27, 2001, at his St. Clair Township office.
The sexual battery charge arose from his fondling a 21-year-old woman. He was charged with gross sexual imposition for improperly touching a 36-year-old female patient.
The offenses occurred during two separate examinations.
Dr. Bajaj took the stand in his own defense during the trial, which began Tuesday. He insisted that he touched the women as part of a routine medical examination.
Defense lawyer
Defense Atty. Lawrence Stacey II of Columbiana argued to the jury that the women's accusations were motivated by money.
Stacey was referring to a civil lawsuit against the doctor and the doctor with whom he shared offices. The lawsuit was filed in July 2002 and seeks an unspecified amount in damages.
"This case is, to a great extent, about money," Stacey said during closing arguments Thursday.
He also accused one of the victims of having a bias against doctors stemming from the care her father received before he died.
Assistant county Prosecutor Tim McNicol argued during closing arguments Thursday, however, that the defense was attempting to divert attention from the crimes and put the victims on trial.
"The defense's case is complete assumption and innuendo," McNicol said.
He called Dr. Bajaj "an opportunist, nothing more." McNicol contended that the victims trusted the doctor, and he took advantage of them. McNicol said their emotional, detailed testimony helped prove the veracity of the allegations.
Stacey said today that he'll argue for probation during the doctor's sentencing, noting that before this episode, Dr. Bajaj had never been charged with a crime.