A judge dropped criminal charges against a surgeon at East Meadow, N.Y.-based Nassau University Medical Center who was arrested in January after he was accused of choking a nurse with an elastic cord over a disagreement about a patient's medication, reports Newsday.
Nassau County District Court Judge Martin Massell dismissed the case against Venkatesh Sasthakonar, MD, who specializes in weight loss surgery, because there was not enough evidence to support the charges.
"After thoroughly reviewing this case, interviewing witnesses and analyzing surveillance video, it has been determined there is not enough evidence to support that a crime occurred," Brendan Brosh, a spokesperson for the Nassau district attorney's office, told Newsday.
Dr. Sasthakonar had pleaded not guilty and was released on a $3,500 bail after being arrested in January.
Bruce Barket, an attorney representing Dr. Sasthakonar, said the allegations were "fabricated" by the nurse.