Indian-American Physician Loses Licence for Trafficking and Tax Fraud
By Manu Shrivastava
Dr. Harsha Sahni, an Indian-American rheumatologist practicing in Colonia, New Jersey, finds herself at the centre of a deeply unsettling case that has brought her medical career to a permanent end. Once trusted to uphold the ethics and compassion of her profession, Sahni has now been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison. This follows her guilty plea to charges of conspiracy to conceal and harbour undocumented immigrants and filing a false tax return, offenses that shocked not only the medical community but also the public.
The details of the case paint a grim picture of exploitation and calculated deceit. Sahni admitted to illegally recruiting two Indian women, coercing them to work as household help under conditions that violated their rights and dignity. These women, identified in court documents as Victim 1 and Victim 2, were forced into a life of servitude, performing gruelling labour for a fraction of what legally employed housekeepers would earn. While Sahni provided them with food, clothing, and housing, she paid them as little as $240 to $600 a month—wages that were sent to one of the victim’s families in India.
 |
| Harsha Sahni's clinic in Colonia, New Jersey |
In court, Sahni acknowledged that she had failed to disclose the labour performed by these women on her income tax returns, avoiding payment of taxes on their employment. This financial impropriety, coupled with the human toll of her actions, underscores the gravity of her crimes. The exploitation was not limited to monetary matters; it was an affront to basic human decency and the trust placed in medical professionals.
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, while announcing the permanent revocation of Sahni’s medical license, described the case as a chilling breach of professional and ethical standards. He noted how Sahni, a physician sworn to care and protect, had instead chosen to exploit vulnerable individuals for her benefit. Cari Fais, Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs, echoed this sentiment, stating that Sahni’s treatment of the women she harboured reflected a blatant disregard for humanity and the foundational principles of the medical profession.
The revocation of her license, effective since September 2023, was deemed the only measure sufficient to safeguard the residents of New Jersey from further harm. In October 2024, a federal court judge handed down the 27-month prison sentence, bringing to a close a case that has left an indelible mark on the community.
For the two women who endured unimaginable hardships, the sentence marks a semblance of justice. For the medical community, it serves as a sobering reminder of the profound responsibility that comes with the privilege of practicing medicine. As Sahni prepares to serve her prison term, the case stands as a testament to the importance of accountability, compassion, and the rule of law in ensuring that such breaches of trust do not go unchecked.
