Corbin physician facing federal gun charges

 A Corbin physician was arrested Thursday on a federal indictment warrant charging him with being a convicted felon in possession of firearms.

Kentucky State Police arrested 48-year-old Nikhil Parulekar during a traffic stop on Browning Acres Road in Whitley County.

According to Trooper Lloyd Cochran, public affairs officer at Post 11 in London, Trooper Raymond Foley took Parulekar into custody without incident.

Parulekar was indicted Wednesday in U.S. District Court in London on two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

According to the indictment, Parulekar had 16 firearms in his possession, including eight handguns, three shotguns and five rifles.

Parulekar faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count.

He is scheduled to be arraigned at 10 a.m. Monday in federal court in London.

Parulekar is prohibited from possessing firearms after receiving a conviction to a felony charge of obtaining controlled substances by fraud and forgery in Whitley County on Dec. 9, 1999.

According to documentation from the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure detailing the decision to suspend Parulekar’s medical license, Parulekar admitted to forging Dr. Richard Park’s name on a prescription for 30 Percocet.

On February 20, Corbin Police arrested Parulekar on an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in Bell District Court on a speeding ticket. Officers reported finding a loaded 9mm handgun in Parulekar’s duffle bag and prescription medications tucked under the driver’s seat.

On March 24, the board of medical licensure ordered Parulekar to submit to an impairment evaluation at the Kentucky Physicians Health Foundation.

Based pm the evaluation, the foundation determined that Parulekar should not continue to practice medicine until he completed a drug treatment program.

Instead of enrolling in the program, Parulekar elected to surrender his Drug Enforcement Administration permit to dispense narcotics.

In the emergency order of suspension issued in May, the board of medical licensure detailed Parulekar’s repeated efforts to continue his medical career and obstacles he faced.

On March 7, 2000, Parulekar entered into an agreement with the board in which his license was placed on probation for two years. During that time, he was prohibited from prescribing, dispensing or otherwise utilizing controlled substances.

If his prescribing privileges were to be reinstated, he would be required to maintain a log that would be subject to review by board consultants. In addition, he was subject to unannounced blood and urine alcohol and/or drug analysis.

Parulekar was prohibited from ingesting any intoxicating substances.

On April 28, a board investigator collected a random urine sample from Parulekar. Parulekar reported the only medication he had been taking was for allergies.

However, the sample tested positive for benzodiazepines, which indicates Parulekar had taken Valium.

While denying he had taken anything, Parulekar stated that his wife had a prescription for Valium.

A second test on May 22 again tested positive for benzodiazepines. When asked again, Parulekar stated he had taken one of his wife’s Valiums following a domestic dispute with her.

“The licensee claimed that he had a panic attack and took his wife’s medication to treat the panic attack,” the board stated.

Following a report to the board from the foundation’s then medical director concerning progress of Parulekar’s mental health treatment, it was recommended that Parulekar undergo drug treatment.

On July 11, 2000, Parulekar surrendered his medical license and was informed that he may not petition for reinstatement until he completed the recommended drug treatment.

Parulekar’s license was reinstated on Dec. 11, 2000, but with the condition that was unable to prescribe, dispense or otherwise utilize any controlled substances.

In Feb. 2002, the board denied Parulekar’s request to be permitted to resume the professional utilization of controlled substances.

The panel denied the request citing reports that Parulekar had failed to make the required daily phone calls to the board’s agent for drug testing on five separate occasions between Jan. 2001 and Jan. 2002.

“The Panel denied the request and ordered that it would not consider another similar request as long as there was any evidence that the licensee was not in full compliance with the terms and conditions of the agreed order,” the suspension order states.

The board granted a second request on Aug. 22, 2002 after hearing that Parulekar had been in compliance.

On Sept. 19, 2002, Parulekar entered into an amended agreed order of revocation; probated with the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure for five years.

As with the previous order, Parulekar was required to maintain a log for all controlled substances prescribed, dispensed or otherwise professionally utilized. That log was subject to review by the board.

In addition, Parulekar was to submit to random drug and alcohol testing.

Finally, Parulekar was not to ingest any mood-altering substances, including alcohol and medications, except those prescribed.

On Dec. 30, 2002, Parulekar missed a required phone calls to the board.

When questioned about missing the call, Parulekar responded that it had been a hectic day as he was dealing with family issues.

“He believed he called at approximately 1 a.m. before going to bed,” the suspension order states, adding that when he was informed of the policy for missed calls that it would not happen again.

On May 29 and 30, 2003, Parulekar missed consecutive report calls and when asked why, reportedly told inspectors that he did not know why.

In response to a non-compliance investigation, Parulekar accepted responsibility for his failure to make the required calls but added it was not done on purpose.

On Dec. 18, 2003, Parulekar was fined $3,000 due to the missed calls.

That same month, Parulekar tested positive for alcohol.

In an interview with board officials, Parulekar attributed the positive test to cough syrup that had been prescribed by a treating physician.

However, because Parulekar failed to report the prescription on the drug analysis requisition within 10 days the board issued a complaint against his license.

On May 13, 2005, Parulekar was found to be in violation and an order of probation was issued against his license through June 11, 2006.

He was again required to maintain the logs and to submit to the random drug and alcohol tests. In addition, Parulekar was required to reimburse the board $3,462.50 for its costs.

Parulekar remained in good standing with the board until January when the anonymous grievance concerning the prescriptions came to the board.