Dr. Raj Bothra, an American of Indian origin who was charged with illicitly prescribing millions of pills and making false claims to illegally collect millions from Medicare and other agencies—but later acquitted by a jury—has released his memoir titled *USA v Raj* in Mumbai.
**Book Unveiling and Film Adaptation**
The book was unveiled on Tuesday at a city hotel by renowned actors Anupam Kher and Tusshar Kapoor. Alongside the book launch, a film adaptation was announced, with veteran actor Kabir Bedi slated to portray Dr. Bothra.
**A Life of Service and Sudden Crisis**
An esteemed Padma Shri awardee, 81-year-old Dr. Bothra’s life took a dramatic turn in December 2018 when he faced an unexpected knock at his door. A surgeon and interventional pain specialist, he has practiced medicine both in the United States and India. Beyond his medical career, Dr. Bothra has been actively involved in philanthropy, helping to establish the Nargis Dutt Foundation, working with the Mother Teresa Foundation, and championing awareness campaigns on nicotine use, AIDS, and alcohol abuse.
**Arrest, Imprisonment, and Acquittal**
Following his arrest by the FBI on charges that were later proven false, Dr. Bothra endured 1,301 days of imprisonment. In June 2022, a jury of twelve ordinary Americans unanimously acquitted him, bringing a close to a deeply challenging chapter in his life.
**Bothra Reflects on His Ordeal**
Reflecting on his experience, Dr. Bothra said, “My whole world crashed, my family ruined, my businesses closed, and all bank accounts frozen.” He recalled being told, “I would die in prison if I did not plead guilty.” His response was resolute: “So be it. What sustained me was my firm belief that, in the end, truth will prevail against all the odds… I come from a country where dignity and honour are far more important than life itself.”
**Support from Friends in the Film Industry**
Actor Anupam Kher, who has known Dr. Bothra and his wife Pammi for over three decades, shared his admiration: “He has done a lot for society, so for him to say that he is just an ordinary man, I don’t agree with that. I feel he is an extraordinary human being because of the social work he has done in India. When I heard that the FBI had taken Dr. Bothra in on false charges, I was worried and shocked that America, supposedly the most developed and one of the happiest countries in the world, turned out to be a place where something as unjust as this could happen.”
Tusshar Kapoor, who has known Dr. Bothra for 36 years, said, “No matter what people say, nothing is enough to describe what he went through, and I think the book does justice to that.”
**A Message Beyond Legal Reform**
Dr. Bothra shared that his motivation for writing the memoir was to raise awareness among ordinary American citizens. “If I had no idea of a cruel judicial system, I am sure most common people in America are not aware either.”
His reflections extend beyond legal reforms, addressing a fundamental cultural issue: “The most formidable challenge we face is changing the culture of ‘winning at any cost.’ This cultural shift cannot be legislated or enforced… it must originate from within our hearts. Let our shared humanity and our shared desire for justice guide us towards a brighter, fairer future,” he concluded.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/dr-raj-bothra-launches-memoir-usa-v-raj-in-mumbai-film-adaptation-announced