Dr. Ritesh Kalra Sexual Abuse Allegations
If you were a patient of Dr. Ritesh Kalra, you may have spent a long time wondering whether what happened during your appointments was something you could act on. 27 of Dr. Kalra’s former patients have now said publicly that it was. Federal prosecutors have brought criminal charges, the state has suspended his license, and a civil lawsuit is moving through a New Jersey court.
If you or a loved one experienced sexual abuse or assault by Dr. Ritesh Kalra, reach out to Helping Survivors to learn more about your legal rights and options.
Author: Kathryn Kosmides
Survivor Advocate
Who Is Dr. Ritesh Kalra?
Ritesh Kalra is a 52-year-old internist and a resident of Secaucus, New Jersey. He practiced in Fair Lawn and ran offices across Bergen and Hudson counties, including locations in Jersey City and Secaucus. His practice provided primary care along with pain management, and many patients depended on him for ongoing prescriptions.
Someone seeing Dr. Kalra for pain management typically was not making a one-time visit. They generally returned month after month to a doctor who could decide whether their medication continued. Cases involving that kind of dependence fall under medical sexual assault, where the professional relationship itself can become the mechanism of harm.
Federal Charges Against Dr. Kalra
In July 2025, Dr. Ritesh Kalra was indicted on 58 counts, including drug charges and healthcare fraud. He is currently awaiting trial. The indictment breaks into three groups of charges:
- Unlawful distribution of controlled substances: 36 counts alleging he prescribed opioids outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.
- Maintaining a drug-involved premises: One count relating to the operation of his medical office.
- Healthcare fraud: 21 counts alleging he billed New Jersey Medicaid for appointments that never took place.
Federal authorities allege that between January 2019 and February 2025, Dr. Kalra issued more than 31,000 prescriptions for oxycodone–sometimes more than 50 per day.
What Former Patients Have Alleged
Several of Dr. Kalra’s former employees reported that multiple female patients had complained of sexual misconduct. Those complaints included allegations that he demanded sexual acts in exchange for opioid prescriptions. Federal authorities describe accounts from several former employees and patients, gathered over years rather than from a single incident or complaint.
One patient described being sexually assaulted by Dr. Kalra on more than one occasion during clinical appointments. The conduct described in these accounts is alleged to have happened where patients had the least ability to object: when their next prescription refill depended on how their appointment went.
August 2026 Civil Lawsuit
On August 17, 2026, 27 former patients filed a civil lawsuit against Dr. Ritesh Kalra in New Jersey court. The plaintiffs are 24 women and three men who allege a years-long pattern of sexual abuse and exploitation by Dr. Kalra during medical appointments. It further alleges he used control over patients’ prescriptions as leverage, lowering doses after some patients resisted his advances.
Suspension of Dr. Kalra's Medical License
Shortly before the civil lawsuit against Dr. Kalra was filed, the New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners temporarily suspended Dr. Kalra’s medical license and his Controlled Dangerous Substances registration. The suspension remains in place pending the outcome of the criminal case.
Dr. Kalra was ordered to close his practice by July 31, 2025, and is barred from practicing medicine or prescribing while the case proceeds. The Board also accepts patient complaints, and New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin encouraged anyone treated inappropriately by Dr. Kalra to file one.
When Prescriptions Are Used as Leverage
Someone receiving ongoing pain medication sits in an unusual position. Access to a medication their body has come to depend on runs through one person’s signature, and stopping it abruptly can often carry real physical consequences. The civil complaint alleges Dr. Kalra understood this and used it, lowering doses for patients who did not go along with his advances.
That dynamic is often why people in this situation do not recognize what happened as abuse until much later. There may have been no obvious moment of force. Instead, there were appointments where saying no could cost the patient something they could not afford, set by the same person responsible for their care.
None of this reflects poorly on the patient. Needing medication is not a failure of judgment, and continuing to see a prescriber you depended on does not mean you consented to anything else.
Table of Contents
- Who Is Dr. Ritesh Kalra?
- Federal Charges Against Dr. Kalra
- What Former Patients Have Alleged
- The August 2026 Civil Lawsuit
- Suspension of Dr. Kalra’s Medical License
- When Prescriptions Are Used as Leverage
- Legal Rights and Options for Former Patients
- What to Expect When You Reach Out
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Want To Speak With A Lawyer?
Meet Our Trusted Legal Partners
For over 50 years, Milberg has held powerful defendants accountable — let us fight for you.
- What is Medical Sexual Assault?
- Doctor Sexual Abuse Lawsuits Filed Against Kaiser Permanente
- Nurse Wilfredo Figueroa-Berrios Sexual Abuse Allegations
- Utah Dr. David Broadbent Accused of Sexual Assault & Misconduct
- Dr. Edsel Sandoval Sexual Abuse Allegations
- Dr. William Thompson Sexual Abuse Allegations
- Dr. Tyler Hurst Sexual Abuse Allegations
- Major Michael Stockin Sexual Abuse Allegations
- New York Dr. Darius Paduch Accused of Sexual Assault & Misconduct
- New York Dr. Cheng Accused of Sexual Assault & Misconduct
- UCLA Gynecologist: Dr. James Heaps Convicted
- Dr. Hadden Lawsuit in New York
Legal Rights and Options for Former Patients
Former patients who were harmed generally have several avenues available to them, including filing a civil lawsuit, reporting the incident to law enforcement, or filing a complaint with the state medical board. These options are generally independent of the criminal case against Dr. Kalra and typically do not require waiting for it to resolve.
Civil Lawsuits vs. Criminal Cases
Federal prosecutions are generally brought by the government. The case against Dr. Kalra could result in criminal penalties.
A civil lawsuit works differently. A patient brings it themselves, typically seeking compensation for the harm they experienced. The two run on separate tracks. A patient generally does not need to wait for the criminal trial to conclude before speaking with a lawyer, and the outcome of one does not automatically determine the outcome of the other.
New Jersey's Filing Deadlines
New Jersey sets time limits on filing civil lawsuits for sexual abuse and assault. The state expanded these deadlines through reform legislation in 2019. Generally, adult survivors of sexual assault in New Jersey have seven years from the assault or the date of discovering the harm it caused to file a lawsuit.
The amount of time a survivor has to file a lawsuit depends on their age and when they discovered the harm the abuse caused. An attorney can help you confirm how the New Jersey filing deadline applies to your case.
Who Else May Be Held Responsible
Civil lawsuits can sometimes extend beyond the individual accused of the conduct. The August 2026 complaint names Dr. Kalra, his limited liability company, and ten unidentified individuals as defendants.
Depending on the facts, entities that employed, supervised, credentialed, or otherwise enabled a provider may bear some responsibility for medical sexual assault. Whether that applies typically turns on details not visible from the outside. Former employees have said they raised concerns about patient complaints about Dr. Kalra. A lawyer can assess whether anyone beyond the individual provider may be accountable in your case.
What to Expect When You Reach Out
Helping Survivors works to explain survivors’ rights and available resources, and to connect people with attorneys who handle these cases. In some cases, we can introduce survivors to the Sexual Abuse Practice Group at Milberg PLLC, co-led by Marc Grossman, Gary Klinger, and Melissa Nafash. Its attorneys are currently litigating sexual abuse cases against institutions and individuals. Partner firms typically take these cases on a contingency basis, meaning there are no upfront costs.
Privacy is a common concern in a New Jersey doctor sexual abuse lawsuit, because many former patients have prescription histories they would rather not discuss publicly. Courts have procedures that can protect your identity in a filed case, and a lawyer can explain which of them apply in a given court.
If what you need right now is mental health support rather than legal information, RAINN operates a confidential hotline and can connect you with services in your area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Still Come Forward if Dr. Kalra Prescribed Me Opioids?
Yes. A patient’s medication history generally does not disqualify them from bringing a Kalra patient abuse lawsuit. The allegation in these cases is that the prescribing relationship itself was exploited, meaning the prescriptions typically form part of the account rather than being a problem with it.
Do I Have to Give My Name Publicly to File a Claim?
Not necessarily. Courts have procedures that may allow a plaintiff’s identity to be shielded in sexual abuse cases, and lawyers who handle these matters request them regularly. A lawyer can explain the options available in the court where a claim would be filed and how they have worked in similar cases. Raising the question early, before anything is filed, generally gives you the most room to decide.
Want To Speak With A Lawyer?
