A Canterbury doctor who indecently assaulted patients has been struck off the register, nearly two years after being convicted. Rakesh Kumar Chawdhry, 64, was jailed for four years, four months in 2018, after he was found guilty of 13 charges of indecent assault and one of sexual violation against patients. He assaulted 10 male patients, aged between 17 and 35, in clinics in Amberley and Riccarton from 2012 to 2015. Chawdhry only served a third of his sentence and has been on parole since July 2019. Chawdhry lost his doctor’s registration in November, after a hearing before the New Zealand Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal. The tribunal released its decision on Thursday. “These offences were gross breaches of trust and were repeated with Dr Chawdhry’s patients over a sustained period of offending,” the decision said. “These convictions and the nature of the offending undoubtedly reflect adversely on Dr Chawdhry’s fitness to practise as a medical practitioner.” The report said there was a “significant power imbalance”, where Chawdhry took advantage of his position and his victims lack of knowledge of the examination. Only one victim understood Chawdhry was doing something wrong at the time. Although Chawdhry continued to deny there was any sexual motivation in the offending, he accepted he caused “immense harm” to his victims, the report said. “He attributes this to his own self-image and the power imbalance in the doctor-patient relationship, and he accepts that his behaviour was wrong. “He admits he failed to adequately upskill himself as to New Zealand clinical practice.” The tribunal found cancellation and censure were necessary sanctions to mark its condemnation of Dr Chawdhry’s conduct and the gravity of the offending, the report said. Chawdhry indicated he had no intention of reapplying for registration, but if he changed his mind would have to take a sexual misconduct assessment test at his own cost. He had to pay 30 per cent of the tribunal costs, which amounted to just over $10,500.
