Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Indian American doctor struck off register over human trafficking

Dr Harsha Sahni pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to conceal and harbour aliens and filing a false tax return last February.

Indian American doctor struck off register over human trafficking

The medical license has been permanently revoked for illegally recruiting and harbouring two Indian women to be household servants for low pay. (Photo for representation: iStock)

THE medical license of an Indian American physician has been permanently revoked for illegally recruiting and harbouring two Indian women to be household servants for low pay.

Dr Harsha Sahni, who maintained a rheumatology practice in Colonia, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to conceal and harbour aliens and filing a false tax return last February.


She is scheduled to begin serving a 27-month prison sentence handed down by a federal court judge in October 2024, Attorney General Matthew J Platkin and the Division of Consumer Affairs announced on Wednesday (8).

Sahni had been temporarily suspended from the practice of medicine since September 2023, as the State pursued an administrative action to revoke her license in the wake of her criminal plea.

“The revocation announced brings closure to a disturbing case in which a physician sworn to uphold the highest standards of care and compassion exploited and abused vulnerable victims for her own financial gain,” Attorney General Platkin said.

“There is no place in the medical profession for this kind of criminal conduct and utter disregard for humanity.”

“Dr Sahni’s treatment of the women she illegally harboured as cheap labour for her and her family violated the most basic rules of the medical profession and caused her victims unimaginable suffering,” said Cari Fais, Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs.

“Only the permanent revocation of her medical license could adequately protect New Jersey and its residents from the dangers she posed as a practising physician."

Sahni had pleaded guilty to the charges last February. In her guilty pleas, she said that she knew the women — identified in filed documents as victim 1 and victim 2 — who were in the country illegally and that she harboured them for financial gain and caused them both to believe that they would be arrested and deported if they interacted with law enforcement.

Sahni admitted she provided the victims food, clothing, and housing and harboured them to work as housekeepers at a price less than what she would have had to pay housekeepers had she employed them legally.

She further admitted to instructing the women to tell immigration officials that they were members of her family and in the US for tourism, knowing that was not true.

And despite the fact that the women were household employees, Sahni admitted in court that she did not pay taxes related to their labour and did not disclose the labour performed by the victims on her personal income tax return, the press statement said.

In a verified complaint and other documents filed with the Board, the State alleged that Sahni required victim 1, who resided in the doctor’s home, to work from approximately 7 am to 10 pm for roughly $240 to $600 a month (£190 to £475 per month), which Sahni paid to victim 1’s family in India.

(PTI)

More For You

Shabana Mahmood

Newly appointed home secretary Shabana Mahmood arrives at Number 10 at Downing Street as Keir Starmer holds a cabinet reshuffle on September 5, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)

Shabana Mahmood named home secretary, Lammy deputy to Starmer in major reshuffle

Highlights:

  • David Lammy becomes deputy prime minister while keeping foreign affairs brief
  • Angela Rayner resigned after admitting underpaid property tax
  • Lisa Nandy to stay on as culture secretary
  • Reshuffle marks first major shake-up of Starmer’s government

SHABANA MAHMOOD has been appointed home secretary in a major reshuffle of prime minister Keir Starmer’s cabinet following the resignation of deputy prime minister Angela Rayner.

Keep ReadingShow less
Epping protests

The protests outside the Bell Hotel in Epping triggered a series of demonstrations across the country during heightened tensions over immigration. (Photo: Getty Images)

Asylum seeker convicted of sex assaults case that led to protests

AN ETHIOPIAN asylum seeker, whose arrest in July led to protests outside a hotel near London where he and other migrants were housed, has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a teenage girl and another woman.

The protests outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, about 20 miles (30 km) from London, triggered a series of demonstrations across the country during heightened tensions over immigration.

Keep ReadingShow less
Angela-Rayner-Getty

Rayner, 45, announced she would step down as deputy prime minister, housing minister and deputy leader of the Labour Party. (Photo: Getty Image)

Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner resigns after admitting tax mistake

Highlights

  • Rayner steps down after admitting underpaying property tax
  • Resigns as deputy prime minister, housing minister and Labour deputy leader
  • Becomes eighth minister to leave Starmer’s government, and the most senior so far
  • Her departure comes as Labour trails Reform UK in opinion polls

DEPUTY prime minister Angela Rayner resigned on Friday after admitting she had underpaid property tax on a new home. Her resignation is a fresh setback for prime minister Keir Starmer, who had initially stood by her.

Keep ReadingShow less
Migrants boat
Migrants swim to board a smugglers' boat in order to attempt crossing the English channel off the beach of Audresselles, northern France. (Photo: Getty Images)

UK pauses refugee family reunion route amid migration reforms

Highlights:

  • Refugee family reunion scheme suspended as part of migration reforms
  • Nearly 21,000 visas issued in the past year, mainly to women and children
  • New rules to include contribution requirements and longer waiting periods
  • Government expects first migrant returns to France later this month

THE GOVERNMENT has announced it is suspending a scheme that allowed families of refugees in the UK to apply to join their relatives, as part of efforts to cut irregular migration.

Keep ReadingShow less
Angela-Rayner-Reuters

Angela Rayner arrives for a cabinet meeting at Downing Street on September 2, 2025. (Photo credit: Reuters)

Rayner's future uncertain as report on stamp duty case expected soon

DEPUTY prime minister Angela Rayner is awaiting the outcome of an investigation into her underpayment of stamp duty on a property in East Sussex, with the findings expected soon.

Prime minister Keir Starmer said he anticipated the report, led by ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus, would be delivered “pretty quickly.” He added: “Then, of course, I will act on whatever the report is that's put in front of me.”

Keep ReadingShow less