Wednesday, December 28 2005 10:45 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New York: A doctor of Indian origin facing charges of using insecticides and unauthorised drugs to treat cancer patients has been released on a US$ one lakh bond after he pleaded not guilty in a federal court in Atlanta.

Totada R Shanthaveerappa, who was indicted by a federal jury on 87 counts last Thursday, and his assistant Dan Bartoli were released yesterday (Dec 27,2005) on separate bonds of US$ one lakh by a court in Atlanta of George State.

The duo appeared in the court four days after the license of the 70-year doctor, also known as T R Shantha, was suspended by the State Medical Board saying his continued practice of medicine poses a 'threat to public health, welfare and safety".

The suspension came after a grand jury had indicted him on several charges including money laundering, insurance fraud and prescribing unapproved drugs.

His 63-year-old assistant Bartoli is charged with helping Shantha to inject numerous patients with a commerical-grade weed killer 'Dinitrophenol' and insecticide 'Chemail Ukrain' and using hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

The prosecutors argued that both Shantha and Bartoli had also submitted false bills to insurance companies by indicating that he was using approved drugs.