Jakarta – Police in Garut, West Java, have arrested an obstetrician-gynecologist (ob-gyn) over suspicions of sexual misconduct after he appeared to touch a pregnant patient inappropriately during an ultrasound examination in a video clip that went viral on social media.
The alleged sexual assault reportedly took place on June 20, 2024.
Garut Police chief detective Adj. Comr. Joko Prihatin said the suspect had been detained at their headquarters.
"We apprehended the suspect, MSF, in less than 24 hours," Joko said, as quoted on Tuesday by TribunJabar.id.
He added that his detectives were still investigating the incident to identify a possible motive and determine the timeline of events.
"The investigation is being conducted professionally and transparently according to the law," he said. "Please give us some time, we are investigating the suspect thoroughly."
West Java Police chief detective Sr. Comr. Surawan previously confirmed MSF's arrest.
"The doctor has been arrested. So far we have identified two victims," he said.
The alleged assault occurred in a clinic where MSF worked.
The clinic's manager, Dewi Sri Fitriani, said on Tuesday that before the case went viral, her office had received many complaints from patients about alleged sexual harassment by MSF.
Responding to patients' complaints, the clinic installed a CCTV camera in the examination room, where it captured footage of MSF touching his patients inappropriately.
Dewi underlined that MSF was no longer with the clinic. "He no longer practices medicine, either in my clinic or in any hospital in Garut," she said.
"His conduct has discredited the Indonesian medical profession, as if all doctors are doing the same [thing]," she added.
Separately, Health Ministry spokesman Aji Muhawarman said the ministry was pursuing action to suspend MSF's registration certificate (STR), essentially a license to practice medicine.
"For now, the Health Ministry is coordinating with the KKI [Indonesian Medical Council] to temporarily deactivate the STR [of the suspect] while awaiting further investigation," Aji said on Tuesday.
Suspending his STR means that MSF will not be permitted to practice as an ob-gyn.
Aji said the ministry would remain transparent in updating the public as the case developed.
Garut Health Agency head Leli Yuliani confirmed that a sexual assault complaint had been filed against the same ob-gyn, but the incident it referred to had taken place sometime in the past year.
"If I'm not mistaken, that was about a year ago, when the person concerned was practicing in Garut," Leli said on Tuesday, adding that this particular case was resolved at the end of 2024 through a mediated settlement.
She added that the doctor involved in the incident was not a civil servant, although he practiced in both public and private institutions, and that his name was no longer on the regency's Health Resources Information System.
Commenting on the case, Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Arifah Fauzi promised to coordinate with the regional women and children's protection (PPA) unit to ensure that the victims received support.
"In the case in Garut, because we have just heard about it, we will coordinate with our PPA unit there," Arifah said in Jakarta on Tuesday, as quoted by Antara.
Although she is yet to meet with the health minister, the women's minister emphasized the need for stronger inter ministerial collaboration to prevent and address similar cases.
"There is a close link between the Health Ministry and the women's empowerment ministry, so we will coordinate going forward," she said.