TRENTON – A Middlesex County physician has been indicted on multiple criminal charges including sexual assault, criminal sexual contact, and falsifying medical records following a coordinated investigation across several counties, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced Thursday.
Dr. Gurvindra Johal, 57, of Colonia, is charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault, 11 counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact, and one count each of falsifying medical records and tampering with documents related to medical care.
The alleged assaults involved multiple victims across Middlesex, Essex, and Monmouth counties. The Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) consolidated the investigations and secured an indictment from a State grand jury.
“Medical patients need to be able to trust that they will be treated with respect, care, and professionalism when they seek treatment,” Platkin said. “For a doctor to allegedly prey upon patients is something we will not tolerate.”
DCJ Director Theresa Hilton emphasized the role of inter-agency collaboration in the case. “This case illustrates the importance of cooperation with local law enforcement, as we were able to identify a serial offender who violated patients’ trust across county lines.”
According to court documents, the investigation began after a patient reported inappropriate touching by Johal at an urgent care facility in Perth Amboy. Additional victims were later identified at facilities in Newark and Freehold Township. The allegations include both sexual assault and criminal sexual contact.
Johal is also accused of submitting a false statement to an insurance company and altering medical records to falsely indicate a medical assistant had been present during an examination.
If convicted, Johal could face five to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $150,000 on the second-degree charges. The fourth-degree offenses carry penalties of up to 18 months in prison and $10,000 in fines.
Deputy Attorney General Kimberly Menafra is prosecuting the case under the supervision of DCJ Bureau Chief Laura Magnone.
Platkin credited the work of county prosecutors Yolanda Ciccone (Middlesex), Raymond S. Santiago (Monmouth), and Theodore N. Stephens II (Essex), as well as police departments in Freehold Township, Perth Amboy, Newark, and Edison.
The charges are accusations, and Johal is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Defense counsel: Brooke M. Barnett, Esq., Newark.
