UPDATED

• July 22, 2010: Dentist gets probation for hiding camera in bathroom
  • Dr. Mahesh Patel, Las Vegas dentist was sentenced to two years of probation Thursday.

NRI dentist booked for setting up a video camera in bathroom for capturing images of a female’s private parts

Las Vegas, Feb, 27, 2010
Suresh Patel

Dr. Mahesh Patel, Las Vegas dentist, 45, has been charged for capturing the image of a private area of another person, a gross misdemeanor. On Jan. 11, Dr. Patel met with one of his employees and told her that he had sold his practice. He wanted her to be aware of the new changes and she had to change into scrubs.

A female employee told the police:

• She went into a unisex bathroom and began to change her clothes. She looked the video camera inside a tissue. She switched the power off, removed it from the tissue holder and kept it with her.
• She felt that the dentist allegedly hid a small video camera inside a tissue holder.
• She went to perform the procedure with Patel and the during the procedure, he was “acting funny.”
• After the procedure was completed, Dr. Patel confronted her and demand the device. She asked Patel if the device belonged to him, to which he replied affirmatively. He said the device must have fallen out of his pocket.
• Dr. Patel then apologized and said he had hidden the device so he could spy on her. He blocked the doorway, and continued to beg for the device back.
• She called her husband, went home and saw her image of herself undressing· She went to the police station for complaint.
• The police found that it had been recorded the woman in her undergarments.
• There is also a unconfirmed report that another woman was also captured undressing in the restroom

Dr. Patel has been in practice since 1993 and graduated from University of Iowa. His wife, Seajl Patel told media:

• My husband is a wonderful person. We are married for eighteen years
• We have a lot of support from our friends and family
• Our patients know us. He has always given 100% to his patients

After Monday’s arrest, Dr. Mahesh Patel made his first appearance in court on Wednesday. The judge said:

• My concern is that it's not a first time thing.
• This is in my opinion, one of those things that is horribly offensive, and a complete violation of the trust that is given to a person of this caliber
• I have set up bail of $20,000 to get out of jail.

According to a Las Vegas police warrant, the state medical board will decide what action to be taken regarding his license after conviction

NRI businessman Surinder Singh from Las Vegas said, Dr. Patel is very gentle man and it is very hard to believe it. This is a breaking story and details are still sketchy. Of course, Dr. Patel is innocent until proven guilty.

Are hidden surveillance cameras legal?

The laws on hidden video cameras vary by state. You may be surprised to find out that in most states it is legal to install and operate a hidden video surveillance systems even in private places. There are only thirteen states with laws prohibiting the installation of hidden video surveillance equipment.

The laws that govern these thirteen states expressly prohibit the installation of hidden surveillance equipment in places where individuals have the right to a reasonable expectation of privacy. Examples of places where individuals have this right to expect privacy include such areas as bathrooms, locker rooms, dressing rooms, bedrooms, etc.

There could still be legal problems as the document would need to be about 10 pages long and include the words bathroom or restroom, and a clause for release of any pictures.–Why? Because society expects and demands certain things and privacy, certainly in the bathroom, is one. This is for the protection of people especially against other sick people.
–It may be your home and your bathroom but it is still other peoples bodies. The prisons are full of people with this mindset.

Since there are essentially two types of cameras used for "hidden surveillance," I’d suggest you look for a small device with wiring attached to a battery pack or a camera lens attached to a long wire
There is a possibility that a camera in the bathroom is set up behind a wall through a "pin-hole" or extremely small hole drilled through the wall

Hiding any other type of surveillance camera in such a small room or environment would be difficult and easy to find.
You don’t give details as to the construction or layout of these rooms but start a logical search pattern that includes going around the entire room in a systematic search. Look for holes in the wall, floor, and ceiling tiles. Look under piles of objects such as clothing, lamps, books, dolls, smoke detectors, or anything else that is an "electronic" device