A LaSalle man who has been charged in a child pornography investigation is a doctor at Windsor Regional Hospital.

A statement from the hospital confirms Dr. Ashim Verma is an Interventional Cardiologist.

Verma, 34, was arrested and charged on Thursday after officers from LaSalle Police, the OPP Child Sexual Exploitation Unit and the OPP Digital Forensics Unit used a search warrant to raid a home in LaSalle.

Police say they seized a number of computer devices as part of a seven-month child pornography investigation.

Verma has been charged with one count of making available child pornography, two counts of possession of child pornography.

He has been released on bail.

A statement from Windsor Regional Hospital says “Dr. Verma has been a member of WRH’s medical staff since October 2017. As with all medical staff who seek to practice medicine at WRH, there was a due diligence process in advance of Dr. Verma being granted privileges to do so – this included obtaining a Criminal Record Check (including a Vulnerable Sector Search) and a Certificate of Professional Conduct from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.”

The statement goes on to say “Dr. Verma will not be exercising his hospital privileges while WRH obtains additional information regarding the situation. In the interim, we will respect the criminal process and also Dr. Verma’s confidentiality.”

Police say their investigation continues.