May 20, 2012

Sex Assault Doctors Out on Bail, Wearing Fly Gear

We live in interesting times, that’s for sure. With celebrities committing crimes and handling themselves with the services of PR firms, it shouldn’t be surprising that run-of-the-mill criminals would fly the same skies.

Toronto’s sleazy sex assault doctors have done just that and have gone with the services of PR firm Navigator Ltd. to help gloss their image a little. Amitabh Chauhan and Suganthan Kayilasanathan have been the subject of a couple of posts here now, with the most recent revelation as to Chauhan’s career in the military coming out in the last few days. The two 32-year-old doctors are now out on bail and emerged from Old City Hall looking every bit the part of a men’s magazine cover model.

No, not that kind of men’s magazine.

Hours before their Wednesday release, the two appeared unshaven and weird-looking  at a bail hearing. But after the hearing, oooh boy. The two accused made a brief public appearance looking every bit the part of the sleek power players. The two dapper dudes all but strutted in their defence, with Kayilasanathan saying “We fully intend on defending very vigorously through the court process the allegations that are made against us.”

“Despite everything that’s happened to me over the past few days, I still have faith in our justice system,” added Chauhan.

Navigator Ltd. largely traffics in PR for politicians, apparently, so providing these crooks with a sleek veneer may be right up their proverbial alley. Interestingly, neither sex assault doc wore a coat despite the chilly temperatures. Was this an effort to show off the fly gear? Probably.

In any event, the case of the Toronto sex assault doctors has been taking some interesting turns and it’s doubtful we’ve heard the last of it. The way this carries out in the public eye remains a compelling object lesson as to the intersection of fame and crime.

Sex Assault Doc Has Ties to Military

We reported on the case of two doctors charged with the sexual assault of a 23-year-old woman in a Toronto hotel a few days ago. Since then, more details have emerged as to the perpetrators.

One of the doctors, 32-year-old Amitabh Chauhan, has been “closely associated” with the Canadian Forces since 1997. He became a cadet that year and wound up having a fairly comprehensive career in the military.

Chauhan enrolled in the Royal Military College in Kingston the following year and was an officer cadet. Following that, he received his undergraduate degree from the college in 2002 with an honours BA in politics and economics. The Department of Defence filled in the gaps, noting that Chauhan “began his training to become a pilot in January 2004. He ceased training in July 2005 and undertook a variety of duties.”

He also did pilot training at CFB Moose Jaw.

When Chauhan was arrested, Toronto police said he held a Saskatchewan driver’s licence. On top of that, he’s been a naval reservist and joined in that service three years.

In terms of his medical credentials, Chauhan is a post-grad student in the plastic surgery department at McMaster University in Hamilton.

Kayilasanathan, meanwhile, has only been working in Toronto for a few months. In December of 2010, he started a family practice in Toronto’s east end and got the job on the recommendation of his father, a lawyer. He also holds a medical licence in New Brunswick.

As we reported originally, police believe that the two doctors have more victims. They’ve been appealing across Facebook and other social networking sites for tips as to the other crimes that may be involved in the ghastly repertoire of these two men.

Two Doctors Charged with Toronto Sex Assault

Two doctors have been arrested and charged with the gang sexual assault of a 23-year-old woman. The assault took place at a hotel in downtown Toronto and police believe that the two doctors may have more victims.

Amitabh Chauhan, 32, of Ancaster and Suganthan Kayilasanathan, 32, of Markham were arrested on Friday.

They made appearances in court on Saturday morning and were held without bail. The court ordered a publication ban, so details are limited at this point.

According to Toronto police, the victim knew one of the doctors and met the pair in the bar of a hotel in downtown Toronto. The meeting took place on Sunday, February 13, and the victim attended the meeting with the intention of receiving some career advice. She hadn’t expected to meet with two men and eventually the trio moved off to a different bar. The victim was given an unknown substance that made her “lapse in and out of consciousness,” say police.

“She was taken back to the original hotel and she was taken up to a room where she was allegedly sexually assaulted by the two men,” said Const. Tony Vella, spokesman for Toronto police.

Chauhan and Kayilasanathan are both active medical doctors in Ontario, with Chauhan listed as a plastic surgery department member at McMaster University in Hamilton and Kayilasanathan operating a family practice just north of Toronto.

The two doctors have been formally charged with administering a noxious substance and gang sexual assault. According to police investigators, there may be other victims associated with the two men.

“We’re urging anyone who has any information regarding the two men to contact the investigators at the sex crimes unit at 416-808-7474,” said Const. Vellan.