Three patients say a Florida psychiatrist molested them. What authorities have done

The most recent allegation of inappropriate touching by an Orlando psychiatrist was six months old before an emergency restriction order prevented him from seeing female patients.

That allegation resulted in Dr. Iftikhar Rasul’s Nov. 3 arrest. All three allegations against Rasul are pending either in criminal court or in the state professional discipline documents.

The emergency restriction order (ERO) was signed by the state surgeon general April 5, six months after a patient the order calls “D.D.” described to Orlando police breast-grabbing without permission or diagnostic purpose. After an investigation that police say included Rasul’s inappropriate comments to D.D. during a controlled call, Rasul was arrested in November on a misdemeanor battery charge.

The Orange County online court docket’s latest document entry for this case is an order ending the case for a pre-trial diversion, which commonly precedes the defendant entering a pre-trial diversion program.

Reached by phone Sunday, Rasul’s attorney, Michael Brown, declined to comment on the case.

Emails to Rasul’s Serene Behavioral Health and the email address on Rasul’s Florida Department of Health profile weren’t answered.

READ MORE: A storm just flooded your Florida home? You might be at risk for mold sickness

Taking blood pressure or taking liberties?

According to Rasul’s health department profile, the first mark on his medical doctor’s license in Florida came on Sept. 8, 2003, from an administrative complaint filed Jan. 8, 2021. Administrative complaints start the disciplinary process.

According to the complaint, a 19-year-old woman referred to as “E.L.” came to Serene Behavioral Health on Nov. 27, 2017, for treatment. From then until through June 25, 2019, the complaint said, Rasul saw E.L. “regularly for management of her bipolar disorder and medications.”

During the June 25 visit, the complaint said, “[Rasul] advised he wanted to take E.L.’s blood pressure. [Rasul] had never taken E.L.’s blood pressure during any of her previous appointments.

“After taking E.L.’s blood pressure, [Rasul] then moved his hand into E.L.’s bra and touched E.L.’s left breast and nipple.”

The arrest warrant affidavit from D.D.’s case quotes Rasul in an Oct. 22, 2021, deposition denying any touching or even taking blood pressure readings with E.L.

“The blood pressure cuff that I use is automatic and does not require a stethoscope,” the deposition quotes Rasul as saying. “I do not recall a single instance when I used a stethoscope on any patient.”

The state Board of Medicine hasn’t made a ruling on the administrative complaint yet. No criminal charges were filed.

READ MORE: Parents, check out why a Miami company recalled an over-the-counter kids drug

Heart rate and rapid breathing?

The ERO said “A.B.” began seeing Rasul as a 25-year-old on Oct. 12, 2018, with a history of depression, anxiety and a panic disorder. Hours after her last appointment with Rasul, Nov. 2, 2020, A.B. went to Orlando police.

She told police that, “Dr. Rasul used his hand and reached into her shirt underneath her bra from the top and cupped her breast to be able to check her heart rate. (She) stated Dr. Rasul grabbed her breast twice and used his fingers to cup her breast, as he said he was checking her heart rate.”

The ERO said Rasul pulled A.B.’s shirt and bra “away from her body and exposed her breasts and nipples. Dr. Rasul’s breathing pattern changed and he began breaking in a rapid, excited manner.”

Criminal charges weren’t filed.

‘You have a nice ... ‘

“D.D.” was in her late 20s, the ERO said, with a history of depression and attention deficit disorder when she first went to Rasul on July 11, 2022. Rasul diagnosed her as having both of those issues along with anxiety.

On Oct. 3, 2022, the ERO said, Rasul asked to check D.D.’s heart rate, an unusual request as he “did not check D.D.’s blood pressure or heart rate at any of her previous appointments.”

Sans gloves, the ERO and the arrest warrant said, Rasul pulled D.D.’s shirt and bra away from her chest “which exposed her breasts.”

Rasul touched one of D.D.’s breast and nipples and, the arrest warrant affidavit said, “cupped a breast into his hand. Dr. Rasul was using his hands to touch her breasts and glared at them while doing so. D.D. felt violated as she did not authorized Dr. Rasul to do so.”

D.D. spoke to Orlando police that day. On Oct. 26, the arrest warrant said, she called Rasul with police listening. The arrest warrant affidavit transcription says she brought up the Oct. 3 visit.

D.D.: “I was just a little bit uncomfortable so I just, I just wanted to know if this is something that, like it’s normal? I don’t. Probably, probably is normal...

Rasul: No it was normal, so you’re fine, you’re fine...

D.D.: OK, OK, ‘cause I just wanted to be comfortable next time.

Rasul: You have a nice (breasts).

D.D.: Sorry?

Rasul: I said, you have a nice (breasts).

Rasul was arrested eight days later.