McHENRY – A former head of surgery at Centegra Hospital – McHenry accused of groping three female employees is now facing criminal charges.

Dr. Basudeb Saha, 75, of Crystal Lake is charged with three misdemeanor counts of battery for separate alleged incidents over the course of seven months last year.

It is unclear if the women who filed the civil suit are the alleged victims named in the criminal complaint.

According to the complaint, Saha is accused of placing his hands in the area of the first woman's breasts, but over her clothing, on April 24, 2011.

The second incident was July 24, 2011 when he allegedly put his hand on the vaginal area, also over the clothing, of another woman.

About three months later on October 18, he is accused of putting his left hand on the right arm of the third woman while touching her vaginal area, again over the clothing.

Saha, who turned himself in to McHenry Police on April 27, posted $150 bail and was released. His next scheduled court date is May 14.

Saha is no longer on staff at either Centegra Hospital – McHenry or Centegra Hospital – Woodstock.

In a civil suit filed last month, three women identified only as "Jane No," "Jane Doe" and "Jane Roe," accuse Saha of sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Each woman is seeking at least $150,000.

In that suit, "Jane No" said that on at least 10 occasions Saha would try to put things in or remove them from the left breast pocket of her scrubs, the lawsuit claims. He also made comments such as, "You're my dream girl," and "If I were younger," the lawsuit states.

Jane No also accuses Saha of putting his hands into her shirt and touching her breasts and, in the fall of last year, touching her genital area through her clothing.

During sit-down surgeries where they sat across from each other, Saha allegedly would grab her legs by pinching his thighs together and pressing his knee into her genital area or pressing his genitals on her knee, the lawsuit says.

Jane Doe made similar accusations, saying Saha touched her genital area during sit-down surgeries, as well as her breasts through her clothing.

Jane Roe said Saha began fondling her breasts and touching her genital area in 2002, again making the accusations that Saha would place or remove objects from the pocket of her scrubs.