Pundit Harripersad Panday yesterday was granted $100,000 bail after he appeared before Chaguanas Magistrate Bramanand Dubay charged with sexually assaulting an 18-year-old twice earlier this year.Persad, the owner and operator of the T&T Spinal Institute at Chase Village, Chaguanas, also has another charge for a similar offence which occurred last year.Yesterday when he appeared before Dubay, the 55-year-old chiropractor, who was represented by Taradath Singh, was told that on February 7 and 14 he grievously assaulted the 18-year-old at his business.
Singh told the court his client was the father of five and recently suffered a stroke on his right side. He added that his client was not well and his whereabouts were well known to the police, he having been arrested at his home.Singh said his client had been attending court regularly in his other matter, which court prosecutor Sgt Shiva Boodoo confirmed.Boodoo said he was not objecting to bail on account that Panday had been attending court religiously in his other matter but asked that conditions be placed on bail.
As condition to Panday's bail, Dubay ordered he not contact the victim, either directly or indirectly, and must stay at least 300 feet from the victim. The matter was adjourned to April 16.According to the police's case, the victim is alleged to have gone to the spinal clinic for help with her scoliosis and had five appointments.During the third appointment, the victim was allegedly told a vaginal examination was necessary and the therapist proceeded to use his fingers to conduct it.
On Valentine's Day, the fifth and final appointment, the chiropractor allegedly used a phallic object resembling a sex toy and inserted it into the teenager. She later made a report to police.