Several female patients complained Kalra often sought sexual favours for oxycodone prescriptions. A woman said she was assaulted multiple times by him, including being forced into ‘unnatural sex’.
An Indian-origin doctor has been booked in the US for medical fraud and seeking sexual favours from patients in exchange of prescriptions. As per the US attorney’s office, cited by the Hindustan Times, Dr Ritesh Kalra prescribed heavy opioids such as oxycodone to his patients. As per the prosecutors he targeted vulnerable patients, who were struggling with certain addictions.
Kalra, who was placed under home incarceration after a US court hearing, now faces five charges, including illegal drug distribution and health care fraud.
Several female patients allege abuse
As per the documents submitted in the court, the accused wrote over 31,000 opioids prescriptions between January 2019 and February 2025. Some days, he wrote more than 50 such prescriptions.
“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,” HT quoted attorney Alina Habba as saying.
“By allegedly exchanging prescriptions for sexual favours and billing Medicaid for ghost appointments, he not only violated the law but endangered lives,” she added.
Further, several female patients complained Kalra often sought sexual favours for oxycodone prescriptions. A woman said she was assaulted multiple times by him, including being forced into ‘unnatural sex’.
Fraud allegations
Besides, the Indian-origin physician is facing allegations of defrauding New Jersey Medicaid by submitting claims for in-person consultations that never occurred.
Dr Ritesh Kalra was released on home arrest after furnishing an unsecured $100,000 bond. Further, he has been barred from continuing his medical practice. His clinic has also been shut down amid legal proceedings.
If found guilty, Kalra could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each charge related to the illegal distribution of controlled substances. In addition, each count of healthcare fraud carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years. Financial penalties could also be steep, with fines reaching as high as $1 million for each drug-related conviction and at least $250,000 for each count of fraud.
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