Sports car goes AWOL
A COMPANY sports car used by controversial Townsville doctor Praveen Kumar was reported stolen after liquidators could not locate it when they arrived to take possession.
The black 2013 Nissan GT- R was reported stolen from outside the My Family Doctors clinic – whose director Dr Kumar is suspended from medical practice and on bail for unrelated criminal charges – on Thuringowa Drive between 11.15am and 1pm on Tuesday.
The Bulletin understands liquidators were seeking to take possession of the car, which was listed as a company asset, but when they went to pick it up the vehicle was nowhere to be seen.
The liquidators reported the car stolen to police, but the vehicle was located yesterday and the complaint withdrawn.
Dr Kumar was in court on Tuesday morning as the My Family Doctors clinic was or- dered into liquidation. The Supreme Court in Townsville made a winding- up order and appointed Robert Humphreys of BRI Ferrier as liquidator because the company owed $ 92,224 to former cleaner Vinesh Prasad.
Mr Humphreys said he was taking control of the car because it was part of the company’s assets.
“When I went to take control of the assets of the company it wasn’t at the premises and through an alleged misun- derstanding it is now back in my possession,” he said.
Mr Humphreys said it was common practice for liquidators to report items stolen quickly when they were not able to be possessed.
Dr Kumar did not respond to requests for comment.
On Tuesday, Mr Humphreys said the clinic would not be reopened.
“I had a meeting with the director of the company and the practice manager regarding the current trading status of the business,” he said on Tuesday. “The director and practice manager were unable to provide me with the information I required to determine the viability of the business.”
The Supreme Court heard that the company also owed $ 5444 to WorkCover.
The Health Ombudsman suspended Dr Kumar’s medical registration on August 30 last year after finding he was an “immediate risk’’ to patients due to allegations he had sexual relationships with two.
Dr Kumar is due to face Townsville Magistrates Court on December 5 on unrelated criminal charges. He has been charged with choking a woman, four counts of assault, wilful damage, threatening violence and two counts of assault causing bodily harm.
The Nissan GT- R reported stolen and later found is a high- end performance vehicle, with cars of the same make and model selling for upwards of $ 120,000. Inspector Leonie Steyger said police investigated the reported theft until yesterday afternoon when the complaint was withdrawn.