The trial for a Maryland doctor accused of raping and sexually assaulting patients began Tuesday in Montgomery County court.
Dr. Ishtiaq Malik, who worked at Advanced Walk-in Urgent Care in Silver Spring, faces more than 20 criminal charges, including allegedly raping and sexually assaulting his patients. Prosecutors say 10 women have come forward with allegations against him.
Prosecutors say Malik often locked the exam room door, didn’t give women gowns to cover themselves, put them in positions where they were scared to protest, and groped them.
In court Tuesday, an alleged victim shared graphic, emotional testimony. She told the jury that when she went to Malik for a physical exam, he groped her in multiple private areas while he was "visibly aroused."
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She testified, "I was in shock; I didn't know what to do," and said she cried in her car afterward. She said she texted her sister that she "felt raped."
Montgomery County police arrested Malik last February on two counts of rape. After the news broke, prosecutors say, nine more women came forward to report inappropriate conduct by Malik.
“I want to thank the women that have already come forward for their courage,” Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy said last year. “It takes a lot of courage to come forward and to report these things.”
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In court Tuesday, Malik's defense attorney argued that all of Malik's actions were medically necessary and that he had performed a genitourinary exam because the patient needed to be medically cleared for a planned Brazilian butt lift surgery.
The defense also tried to point to what they said were some inconsistencies in the patient's story, saying she had testified that the doctor was wearing dress pants during the exam, but the defense said he was wearing scrubs.
News4 also uncovered some troubling details from Malik's past. In 2013, he was sued for healthcare fraud by the Department of Justice and ordered to pay $17 million.
And in 2015, a Montgomery County family sued him for medical malpractice. Marcelle Copaken says her son felt ill and went to see Malik, but he failed to diagnose him with diabetes and gave him a drug that made him sicker. Her son died alone at his home a few days later. But the family's lawsuit eventually was dismissed because Malik moved and lawyers couldn’t reach him to serve the papers, Copaken said.
"We have received no justice for our son’s death," she said.
Then, in 2019, the Maryland State Board of Physicians suspended Malik’s medical license after he was convicted of failure to pay child support.
News4 previously reached out to Advanced Walk-in Urgent Care for comment, but never heard back.
The trial is expected to last for two weeks.
The Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office has asked any other possible victims to call the Special Victims Investigation Division of Montgomery County police at 240-773-5400.
