[UPDATED with Medical License Suspended:] Yashwant Balgiri Giri Accused of Sex Assaults on Unconscious Patients

UPDATE, JUNE 6, 12:40 P.M.: A Placentia-Linda Hospital anesthesiologist accused of sexually abusing two unconscious females admitted for surgical procedures has had his medical license suspended, according to the California Medical Board.

Yashwant Balgiri Giri pleaded not guilty to the charges against him at his arraignment in Fullerton last week, but the North Justice Center judge increased the 58-year-old's bail from $100,000 to $1 million.

That order put the Cypress resident back behind bars. That should break Giri in if he is convicted; he's looking at eight years in state prison.

UPDATE, JUNE 2, 7:30 A.M.: A Placentia-Linda Hospital anesthesiologist's arraignment that began last month continues this morning at the North Justice Center in Fullerton.

Yashwant Balgiri Giri, a 58-year-old Cypress resident who worked at other Orange County and Southern California hospitals over the years, is accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl and 36-year-old woman while both were unconscious.

Giri has been charged with one felony count each of sexual battery on an institutionalized victim for the attack on the woman and sexual penetration by foreign object of an unconscious victim for the assault on the teen.

Conviction could put him in state prison for up to eight years.

ORIGINAL POST, MAY 6, 8:40 A.M.: As a Placentia-Linda Hospital anesthesiologist is arraigned today in Santa Ana on charges of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl and 36-year-old woman who were unconscious, authorities are asking other possible victims to come forward. Yashwant Balgiri Giri worked at other Orange County and Southern California hospitals over the years.

The 58-year-old Cypress resident could get up to eight years in state prison if convicted of the current charges against him. But, if the allegations are true, he is not the only one who should be up on charges.

A nurse who witnessed the first attack informed her Placentia-Linda Hospital superiors, who apparently did nothing before the second attack was reported, according to prosecutors.

The Orange County District Attorney's office statement below lays out the case against Giri:

May 5, 2011

ANESTHESIOLOGIST CHARGED WITH SEXUALLY ASSAULTING TWO UNCONSCIOUS FEMALE PATIENTS
*The OCDA is seeking the public's help in identifying potential additional victims

SANTA ANA – The Orange County District Attorney's (OCDA) Office has filed charges against an anesthesiologist for sexually assaulting two female patients while they were unconscious. Yashwant Balgiri Giri, 58, Cypress, was charged yesterday, May 4, 2011, with one felony count each of sexual battery on an institutionalized victim for Jane Doe #1 and sexual penetration by foreign object of an unconscious victim for Jane Doe #2. The defendant was arrested in Cypress today, May 5, 2011, by the Placentia Police Department (PPD), who investigated this case. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of eight years in state prison. Giri is being held on $100,000 bail and is expected to be arraigned tomorrow, May 6, 2011, in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined.

Giri is an anesthesiologist at the Placentia-Linda Hospital. Giri has worked at other hospitals in Southern California including Lakewood Regional Medical Center, Anaheim Regional Medical Center, West Anaheim Medical Center, and Western Medical Center, Anaheim.

Between Jan. 1, 2009, and Dec. 31, 2009, Giri is accused of administering anesthesia to 16-year-old Jane Doe #2 while she was unconscious from medication. He is accused of digitally penetrating the victim while a scrub nurse was preparing the surgery tools with her back turned. The nurse witnessed the sexual assault and immediately reported the incident to a director at the Placentia-Linda Hospital. The hospital failed to report the incident to police at that time.

On March 18, 2011, Giri is accused of fondling the breasts of 36-year-old Jane Doe #1 while she was unconscious under anesthesia during an outpatient surgery procedure. A hospital employee, who had looked into the operating room window to see how the surgery was progressing, witnessed Giri fondling the victim's breast continuously while the procedure was taking place. Giri is accused of fondling the victim's breasts for an extended period of time while a tarp concealed him from the surgeon and nurse who were working near her legs. The hospital employee reported the sexual assault to a hospital director and PPD was contacted. Shortly after PPD began their investigation, Giri resigned. During the investigation into the sexual assault of Jane Doe #1, PPD learned of the unreported sexual assault of Jane Doe #2 a year earlier.

Due to the defendant's work history, the OCDA is seeking the public's help identifying potential additional victims. Anyone with additional information or who thinks they have been a victim is encouraged to contact Supervising District Attorney Investigator Lou Gutierrez at (714) 347-8794.

Deputy District Attorney Nicole Nicholson of the Sexual Assault Unit is prosecuting this case.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *