Dr Rajeev Kumar Pathak, the director of Canberra Heart Rhythm, leaving court earlier this year. Photo: Albert McKnight.
CONTENT WARNING: This article refers to alleged sexual abuse.
The prominent Canberra doctor accused of abusing four of his employees can now be revealed as cardiologist Dr Rajeev Kumar Pathak.
Dr Pathak is the director of Canberra Heart Rhythm, which has a clinic in the ACT, as well as the town of Broulee on the NSW South Coast, and is an associate professor at the Australian National University.
It is alleged he sexually, physically or indecently abused four women employed by his clinic over several years. He denies the allegations and has pleaded not guilty.
The 48-year-old was initially refused bail when he was arrested and charged in January 2025, then spent about two weeks in custody before being granted bail the next month.
During his first appearance in the ACT Magistrates Court, his lawyers successfully applied for a non-publication order over his name and the name of his clinic.
On Friday (17 April), prosecutors applied for this order to be revoked, arguing there was no evidence to establish that removing it would threaten the administration of justice.
Dr Pathak’s lawyers opposed the application, instead asking to vary the non-publication orders so he could tell his patients about the charges in order to obtain their informed consent during treatment.
Dr Rajeev Kumar Pathak (right) pictured outside court with his solicitor, Adrian McKenna, of Hugo Law Group. Photo: Albert McKnight.
However, Magistrate Amy Begley ultimately said she was not satisfied it was in the interest of the administration of justice to continue the non-publication orders and revoked them.
The court also heard that while the previous allegations involved four women, there was now a fifth complainant in the matter.
At least three of the complainants supported the non-publication orders being revoked.
Earlier court documents show that amongst the allegations, Dr Pathak is accused of slapping one woman numerous times, repeatedly hitting her in the head, as well as filming himself having sex with her while she was intoxicated and unconscious.
Before one of the alleged assaults, he reportedly told her words to the effect of, “You can’t talk to me like that. Remember who you are. Remember your place”.
Police said after one of the last alleged assaults, the woman was “terrified” of him.
Dr Pathak allegedly repeatedly asked a second woman to kiss or have sex with him and indecently touched her body when they were in a vehicle.
For instance, it is alleged that when they were in a room together, he told her, “You cannot leave until you kiss me”.
He also allegedly kept asking a third woman to have sex with him, then repeatedly indecently touched her body and digitally raped her in a car.
Police said she was “scared and shocked” by this alleged incident.
When it came to the fourth woman, it is alleged Dr Pathak told her he was a sex addict, that it was part of her job to give him sexual favours and have sex with him, repeatedly asked to kiss her and indecently touched her body.
She felt “unsafe and disgusted” by his alleged behaviour, police said.
On 23 January 2025, police pulled over Dr Pathak as he drove away from his Red Hill home in his Porsche Cayenne and arrested him later that day.
He has entered pleas of not guilty to his 20 charges.
These include six counts of assault, two counts of sexual intercourse without consent, seven counts of committing acts of indecency, two counts of using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence, as well as single counts of attempted sexual intercourse without consent and capturing visual data.
The matter will return to court on 14 May. Dr Pathak remains on bail.
He has been suspended from practising medicine by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
The court previously heard he is one of only three cardiologists in the ACT.
If this story has raised any concerns for you, 1800RESPECT, the national 24-hour sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line, can be contacted on 1800 737 732. Help and support are also available through the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre on 02 6247 2525, the Domestic Violence Crisis Service ACT 02 6280 0900, the Sexual Violence Legal Services on 6257 4377 and Lifeline on 13 11 14. In an emergency, call triple zero.
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