Indian-Origin Doctor In US Charged With Medical Fraud, Sexual Assault On Female Patients
Ritesh Kalra, 51, is now on home arrest and has been prohibited from practicing medicine and prescribing medication and will be required to shut down his medical practice while the case is pending.
Several of Kalra's former employees reported that female patients complained that Kalra touched them sexually and demanded sexual favors from them, including oral sex, in order to obtain their prescriptions. One patient described being sexually assaulted by Kalra on multiple occasions, including forced anal sex during clinical appointments.
Another patient continued to receive opioid prescriptions from Kalra when the patient was incarcerated at Essex County Correctional Facility and had no contact with him.
Kalra also allegedly billed for in-person visits and counseling sessions that never occurred.
US Attorney Alina Habba announced, "Physicians hold a position of profound responsibility-but as alleged, Dr. Kalra used that position to fuel addiction, exploit vulnerable patients for sex, and defraud New Jersey's public healthcare program." She added that by exchanging prescriptions for sexual favors and billing Medicaid for ghost appointments, he not only violated the law but also endangered lives.
"Our Office will continue to pursue those who turn their medical licenses into tools for personal gain and sexual gratification", she announced.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Rajkot advocates ask for appointment of new district govt pleader, AGPs
Rajkot: A delegation of senior advocates from Rajkot met Gujarat minister of state for home Harsh Sanghavi during his visit to the city, demanding the appointment of a new district govt pleader and expedited appointments of assistant govt pleaders (AGPs). Dilip Patel, senior advocate and co-chairman of the Bar Council of India, said, "The current district govt pleader has been holding the post for eight years and has passed retirement age. The govt should retire him and appoint a successor. Interviews for assistant govt pleaders were conducted three years ago, but no appointments have been made so far." The district govt pleader heads the prosecution and assigns cases to AGPs in all courts. The advocates also voiced concerns about police conduct. They alleged that some junior police personnel behave rudely when lawyers visit police stations on behalf of clients. Additionally, they raised concerns about the city's worsening traffic situation. Vijay Togadiya, a secretary of the Revenue Bar Association, said, "We made a representation on the issue of the Disturbed Areas Act; which some people misuse through certain loopholes." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Access all TV channels anywhere, anytime Techno Mag Learn More Undo Sanghavi, while speaking to mediapersons later, said, "We are developing a master plan to resolve traffic issues across all cities in collaboration with municipal corporations. The police will act on suggestions from MLAs and party leaders. This coordinated effort will produce a 50-year roadmap for traffic management." New Cyber Crime police station inaugurated in Rajkot The state-of-the-art Cyber Crime police station for Rajkot range was inaugurated on Friday by senior minister Raghavji Patel in the presence of MoS home Harsh Sanghavi. The facility, built at a cost of Rs 4.41 crore, will handle serious cyber offences in Rajkot Rural, Jamnagar, Morbi and Devbhumi Dwarka districts. Located in a four-storey building, the station has a conference hall, data forensics lab, cyber helpline, monitoring and analysis rooms and a dedicated unit for child pornography cases. Sanghavi also inaugurated police housing projects at Ramnathpara, Vinchhiya and Atkot. 185 Pakistani migrants granted Indian citizenship in Rajkot During his visit, Sanghavi conferred Indian citizenship to 185 Pakistani nationals living in Rajkot, Morbi, and Kutch under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019. At a Lok Darbar, Sanghavi also heard grievances from 64 applicants and instructed police officials to resolve their issues promptly.
India Today
3 hours ago
- India Today
Special investigation: Shady madrasas mushrooming along Indo-Nepal border
A special investigation by India Today has unearthed a widespread network of unregulated and illegal madrasas operating on both sides of the Indo-Nepal border, raising serious concerns around illegal foreign funding, radical teachings, and internal investigation reveals how madrasas in Bihar and neighbouring Nepal are accepting money routed through illegal hawala channels — mostly from Gulf countries — and, in many instances, are reportedly involved in teaching content that promotes extremist what the India Today Special Investigation Team uncovered:BIHAR: FOREIGN FUNDING, RADICAL CONTENT, NO OVERSIGHT In Bihar, several madrasas along the Nepal border were found to be functioning without government recognition. These include institutions in Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, and remote locations like Bajpatti and Muzaffarpur's Jamia, Nuria Merajul Uloom, a teacher who has been with the madrasa for over two decades openly admitted to accepting funds via hawala. He was also open to the idea of using that money to create a separate faculty to indoctrinate students with jihadi narratives. "We will brainwash them step-by-step," he told the undercover Sitamarhi's Bajpatti region, another illegal madrasa — Madrasa Islamia Mehmoodia — was found operating out of a tin shed with no signage. Its administrator, Azruddin Dilkhush, spoke freely about receiving hawala money from Gulf countries via Nepal and disguising it as donation box collections. He also confirmed that fake Indian IDs could be used to enrol undocumented children, including those of Bangladeshi same pattern was found at Madrasa Islamia Darul Quran in Deema village, operating from a government community hall. Here, videos of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik were shown to students, and a controversial textbook, Taaleem-ul-Islam, which refers to non-Muslims as "kafirs" (infidels), was being taught from Class 1 OPEN DOORS TO FOREIGN INFLUENCE, JIHADI MESSAGINGAcross the border in Nepal, the investigation found similar trends of foreign funding and radical influence. In Mahottari district, Mohammad Shahid Hussain of Madrasa Ahsania admitted on camera to accepting Gulf-funded hawala money. Shahid said people from countries like Lebanon and Pakistan came to deliver motivational speeches in local halls, targeting students and youth for ideological Dhanusha district, another madrasa run by Naimuddin was also found to be a willing participant in disseminating jihadi literature. He told undercover reporters that he would distribute books on jihad and mujahideen to children and that "preparing Muslims for jihad" was part of their ecosystem. However, he also admitted that due to the area being Hindu-majority, such teachings were conducted discreetly.- EndsMust Watch
Economic Times
3 hours ago
- Economic Times
India's children face health risks as tariff-free British junk food enters market under new FTA
India-Britain FTA, announced on Thursday, will allow tariff-free entry for British food and drink, such as chocolate, gingerbread, sweet biscuits, soft drinks and non-alcoholic beer. Another FTA with four EU nations also indicates that chocolates will be cheaper to enter India. This is bad news for the health of India's children. Cheap Britain-made food products, which are likely to be high in fat/sugar/salt (HFSS), could now flood the Indian market and fuel the rapidly growing market of ultra-processed food products. It means consumption of unhealthy diets would increase when India is grappling with a surge in childhood obesity, diabetes and other diet-related NCDs. Aggressive marketing of HFSS products is fuelling obesity. Between 2006 and 2019, the per-capita consumption of such products rose by nearly 50 times. Earlier this year, Narendra Modi launched an anti-obesity campaign, asking people to reduce oil consumption by 10%. This must now be backed by strong regulation on marketing, including mandatory front-of-pack warning labels on HFSS food products. Further, a clearly worded law must restrict advertisements of HFSS foods. In the 1990s, Mexico signed Nafta with the US. Without safeguards, it led to an explosion of sugary drinks and processed foods, ushering in a wave of obesity and diabetes that haunts the country to this day. Mexican health experts call it their 'Nafta moment'. India can't afford to repeat this regulations are not only focusing on labelling but also on marketing restrictions, especially to protect children. While Britain exports HFSS food products to India, it uses traffic light labels, restricts HFSS marketing, and will enforce a 9 PM TV and online ad ban from October. The EU is strengthening its food labelling and marketing restrictions, especially for children. Britain aims to reduce children's exposure to unhealthy food promotion. Chile, Mexico, Brazil and Israel have implemented strong front-of-pack warning sharp contrast, India has no mandatory warning label, and the food industry enjoys the freedom of advertising, partly because of weak laws that are open to interpretation. Cartoon mascots or health claims on unhealthy food products, sponsorships of school or sporting events by food/drink product companies, and unrestricted celebrity endorsements of HFSS products are common occurrences. This is not just a policy gap, it's an equity why the hesitation in India?The science is clear. The PM has spoken. Yet, regulatory action is still caught between industry resistance and bureaucratic delay. The question isn't whether we can do it, it's whether we will. The Supreme Court has also spoken about food labelling and its glaring gaps as the judges asked: 'You all have grandchildren? What are you feeding them? The packets have no information.'The PM has given a moral nudge. The apex court has given a legal one. The Economic Survey has offered the economic rationale. Technically, GoI's dietary guidelines for Indians make this case strong the country needs the health ministry to act boldly. Because if India doesn't lead on this now, it will be our children who pay the price, bite by bite. The writer is convenor, Nutrition Advocacy in Public Interest (NAPi) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. Can Chyawanprash save Dabur in the age of Shark-Tank startups? Piaggio sues former employee for 'Coldplay' reference on CEO Why Air India could loom large on its biggest rival IndiGo's Q1 results Can medicines inject the vitamins Amazon is missing? How India's oil arbitrage has hit the European sanctions wall Stock Radar: Bajaj Finance breaks out from falling supply trendline; likely to hit fresh highs above Rs 1,000 Weekly Top Picks: These stocks scored 10 on 10 on Stock Reports Plus These large- and mid-cap stocks can give more than 25% return in 1 year, according to analysts For investors with patience & cash: 6 large-caps with strong balance sheets & big TAM; and an upside potential of more than 24%
