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NRI Dr. Chattopadhyay jailed one year for false claims

London, Nov. 11, 2006
Col. Sundar Seth

NRI (non-resident Indian), Dr Debasmita Mukhopadhyay-Chattopadhyay has been jailed for one year and asked to compensate 7000 pounds after she was found guilty of forging time sheets to claim more than 41,000 pounds from the National Health Service.

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Paid £40,000 for not working a single day
The Northern Echo

A "greedy" doctor who forged time sheets to con the NHS out of more than £40,000 in wages has been jailed.

Obstetrics and gynaecology specialist Dr Debasmita Mukhopadhyay-Chattopadhyay, of Stanhope Road, South Shields, lied about working shifts at South Tyneside District Hospital to claim thousands in unearned pay.

The doctor also worked at Darlington's Memorial Hospital, between August 2005 and January 2006.

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She denied ten charges of obtaining by deception, three of forgery and one of attempting to obtain money by deception.

The doctor claimed she was the victim of a conspiracy to "ruin" her.

But after a trial at Newcastle Crown Court, she was found guilty of all charges.

Judge Tony Lancaster jailed the mother-of-one for 12 months yesterday.

He told her: "From my perspective, it is a sad sight to see you - a doctor, an intelligent and well-educated woman with substantial skills - in the dock for these offences.You had no need for the money which you had taken."

Christopher Knox, defending, said that Dr Mukhopadhyay- Chattopadhyay has paid back £30,000.

The judge said he was satisfied the doctor would have continued to steal but for her actions being thwarted by an investigation.

She was ordered to pay £7,000 compensation to the NHS trust.

During the trial, jurors were told how, between February 25 and November 13, she claimed £41,793.57 for work done in South Tyneside hospital's accident and emergency, and obstetrics and gynaecology departments.

Police who raided her Darlington home found bundles of forged timesheets made out for further claims and wage slips accounting for money already paid to her as a result of bogus claims.

The doctor, who gained her medical qualification in India and was training in the UK to become an expert in keyhole surgery, had forged the signatures of consultant doctors and the human resources manager at the hospital to work the scam, Mr Birch said.

The doctor began work at South Tyneside District Hospital in May 2003.

In January 2004, she returned to the obstetrics and gynaecology department as locum senior house officer, where she worked until February 24.

She did not work any further with the hospital after that date - but by forging time sheets continued to be paid until January 9, 2005.

Mukhopadhyay-Chattopadhyay denied all the charges. She said that the wages had been paid to her by accident.

A spokesman for County Durham and Darlington Acute Hopistals NHS Trusts confirmed Mukhopadhyay-Chattopadhyay worked at Darlington Memorial Hospital between August 2005 and January 2006.

He said: "We have audited her contract and as far as we can tell there's no evidence of any impropriety in relation to her time here.

"When we learned she'd been arrested and those allegations had been made, we did suspend her.

"Subsequently, we went through our own disciplinary procedures and she was dismissed.

"The investigation was carried out by the NHS counter-fraud service - and it came to light while she was working with us at Darlington.

"We assisted them in every way we could when it came to light."

6:02am Saturday 11th November 2006

 

 

 

 



Dr Debasmita Mukhopadhyay-Chattopadhyay has been jailed for one year