Patients ‘misconstrued’ treatment, doctor claims
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 the 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. ‘‘It’s my belief and what I’ve learned over the years.’’
During Crown evidence, sexual health physician Dr Heather Young gave evidence that milking the urethra was not a practice 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 STI testing process in that time. ‘‘I followed what I was practising in India.‘‘
Earlier, Chawdhry claimed he misheard a complainant who covertly recorded a conversation accusing him of misconduct.
Thirteen other men came forward with issues about Chawdhry after Patient K made a complaint.
All evidence has been heard in the trial before Judge Jane Farish. Closing submissions will be filed next week.