Patients mistaken says doctor

A doctor facing multiple sexrelated claims from patients, including some saying they were assaulted for several minutes, says they ‘‘misconstrued’’ what happened.

Rakesh Kumar Chawdhry, 62, has pleaded not guilty to 15 counts of indecent assault and one of sexual violation via unlawful sexual connection. The charges relate to

14 male patients he treated while working at the Riccarton Clinic in Christchurch between 2011 and

2015. The judge-alone trial is in its third week at the Christchurch District Court.

Chawdhry spent Tuesday and yesterday giving evidence in his own defence. Taken through all 16 charges by defence counsel Paul Wicks QC, he denied anything untoward happened. The 14 complainants alleged Chawdhry inappropriately handled them during a physical examination, often during checks for sexuallytransmitted infections (STIs).

Under cross-examination, Crown prosecutor Barnaby Hawes pressed Chawdhry on how so many complainants could be so mistaken. ‘‘So all of these people are just wrong? All lying?’’ He cited one complainant who claimed Chawdhry masturbated him for about five minutes.

‘‘I wouldn’t say they’re lying,’’ Chawdhry said. ‘‘They’ve obviously misconstrued.’’

Many of complaints related to a technique known as milking the urethra, which Chawdhry employed when taking a swab in an STI test. This was to check for any discharge, Chawdhry said. He told the court he would warn patients in advance they may become semi-aroused during such a process. He said he told them this was nothing to be concerned about, and may in fact make the swabbing process more comfortable as it lubricated the urethra.

Under questioning from Hawes, he said he did not know if the advice was common practice.

During Crown evidence, sexual health physician Dr Heather Young said milking the urethra was not taught in New Zealand, but was employed in other countries. Chawdhry trained in India and became licensed to practise medicine in New Zealand in

2010. Questioned by Wicks, he said he received no instruction or New Zealand-specific training on the

‘‘I wouldn’t say they’re lying.’’ Dr Rakesh Chawdhry

STI testing process in that time.

‘‘I followed what I was practising in India.‘‘

To Hawes, he said: ‘‘Medical training varies from country to country. There’s a lot of things that probably we are not doing in New Zealand that I’ve now become aware of as being done overseas.’’

Earlier, Chawdhry claimed he misheard a complainant who covertly recorded a conversation accusing him of misconduct.

Patient K saw Chawdhry three times in late 2015 seeking treatment for itchy skin. He alleged that on the second consultation, a sexual encounter occurred.

A week later, the itchiness had not abated and Patient K returned to the clinic. While he asked at reception not to see Chawdhry, he said he saw Chawdhry take his paperwork, and became nervous.

‘‘He called me into his office,’’ Patient K told the court, ‘‘So when I was walking to his office I started recording [on my phone].’’

The recording, played to the court during Crown evidence, heard Patient K reference a sexual act between the two and ask to see a different doctor.

Giving evidence, Chawdhry said he did not hear the reference the same way.

‘‘What I heard and understood was, ‘The way you checked me out last time’.’’

He denied any sexual encounter with Patient K. Regarding the consultation where it is alleged to have occurred, Chawdhry said he treated Patient K for a rash on his thighs and genital area, applying cream at Patient K’s request.

Thirteen other men came forward with issues about Chawdhry after Patient K’s complaint.