State drops charges against Norwich pediatrician

State prosecutors will not pursue sexual assault charges against the Norwich pediatrician arrested by Norwich police last month.

Dr. Ravi Prakash, 61, was making his first appearance in New London Superior Court on Thursday when the state entered a nolle, or “nolle prosequi“ on the two charges pending against him ― fourth-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor.

Assistant State’s Attorney Theresa Ferryman explained that after going over the evidence collected by Norwich police and reviewing state statues, she had come to the conclusion the state could not be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Prakash committed any crime.

“These are crimes that require intent to be proven,” Ferryman said.

Prakash was alleged to have slapped a young female patient’s clothed buttocks during a May 2 visit to his office, Prakash Pediatrics. The girl’s mother was in the room at the time and claims she was “in shock from the incident.”

Prakash claimed to police it was inadvertent and told the mother of the alleged victim “I was playing,” according to the arrest warrant affidavit in the case.

Ferryman, during Prakash’s appearance in court, said the state specifically would not be able to prove elements of the alleged crime, including that the incident in question was done for sexual gratification for the purpose of “degrading or humiliating” the victim.

The mother of the alleged victim heard about the dropped prosecution prior to the announcement in court. It sent her into a rage. She was yelling and crying and walked up to Prakash in the courtroom hallway yelling “(expletive) pedophile.” She was ushered from the courthouse.

Drizislav “Dado” Coric, Prakash’s attorney, said the state “did the responsible and reasonable,” thing in not pursing the charges.

“They do have an obligation not to prosecute cases they can;t prove beyond a reasonable doubt,” Coric said. “There’s nothing here.”

Prakash is still licensed but has lost patients due to what Coric said was a unilateral decision by the state Department of Social Services to cancel a contract that had provided payments for certain patients associated with DSS.

g.smith@theday.com