Who is Shamir Chandran? Indian-origin oncologist struck off UK register after fleeing country mid-trial

Indian-origin cancer specialist Shamir Chandran has been struck off the UK medical register after being convicted of multiple offenses and a tribunal ruling he posed a risk to the public. The oncologist was sentenced to four years in prison for the crime in November, the BBC reported.

A former Newcastle hospital doctor has been given a restraining order for two counts of controlling and behaving and one count of cruelty to a person under 16. Chandran received his medical degree in 2001 from the University of Calicut Academy of Medical Sciences, Pariyaram (India).

He was given a more severe punishment than simply being fired from his current job. His conviction means he can no longer practice medicine in Britain. Chandran, who is from Houghton, near Carlisle, is a wanted man with an active warrant for his arrest, the Eastern Eye reported, citing Cumbria Police.

The Medical Practitioners Trial Service (MPTS) found that his behavior was persistent and repeated. he was accused of targeting vulnerable people and participating in a conspiracy to obtain money by intimidation. Describing the offenses as serious, the MPTS said Chandran’s actions “targeted people who were vulnerable and involved elements of premeditation – seeking financial gain from (his victim) through intimidation.”

Therefore, the MPTS decided that his conviction affected his fitness to practice and struck his name off the register.

“There was a real risk that someone would be harmed,” the court said

Carlisle Crown Court noted that Chandran had not shown that he understood the seriousness of his actions or the damage they caused when he fled the country and refused to attend his trial or a later fitness hearing. Suggesting he poses a continuing risk to the public, the report said: “The tribunal considered there was a real risk he would harm someone in the future.”

The report went on to say: “Given his lack of insight and the risk that he would repeat his actions, the tribunal considered that there was a present and continuing risk to the protection of the public because of Dr Chandran’s convictions.”

Emails included in tribunal documents showed Chandran wrote to the General Medical Council (GMC), saying: “I am absolutely disgusted with the way I have been treated in the UK and will never work in this country again.” Chandran further stated, “I don’t care about driving anymore because my career has already been destroyed.”

Contrary to the allegations, correspondence from Chandran claimed he was “disgusted” with the way he had been treated in the UK and that his career had been “ruined”. Chandran told the GMC of alleged mistreatment by British authorities: “They treated me like a common criminal without regard for what I said and the impact of what they did.”

The emails reveal that Chandran resigned from his NHS post and left the UK after the GMC action. “Due to the GMC action, I have had to resign from my job and leave the UK. I don’t know how I can help with these proceedings now as I am currently out of work,” another email said, as reported by the Times of India. He stated that he no longer wanted to practice oncology and was trying to rebuild his life. He started working with a friend in a private firm on a new reset.