Dr. Mohammed S. Siddiqui, MD. Specializes in Geriatric Psychiatry. Photo / Supplied
Dr. Mohammed S. Siddiqui, MD. Specializes in Geriatric Psychiatry. Photo / Supplied
Mohamed Shakeel Siddiqui's lawyer tells of the events that led up to the man's Waikato arrest
He had visited New Zealand and thought it would be a great place to work.
So, Mohamed Shakeel Siddiqui sent his CV from his Lafayette, Indiana, home to an Australasian recruitment agency responsible for vetting his credentials.
His information was then passed on to the New Zealand Medical Council who carried out a more rigorous check, before he was given a year's contract to work as a practising psychiatrist with the Waikato District Health Board.
He set himself up in a flat, on Hamilton's main street, minutes from both the Waikato Hospital and his office, based with the DHB's crisis assessment home-based treatment team [CAHT] on the corner of London and Tristram Sts.
Seven months later he was behind bars and charged with obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception, police alleging he stole the credentials of a doctor in the United States with a similar name.
The DHB claims his colleagues became suspicious about his professional behaviour and reported it to their manager.
They carried out their own inquiries before being alerted by Siddiqui that he was returning home to India to be with his terminally sick mother.
The police swooped on his flat, searched it, then arrested Siddiqui and held him in the cells for an appearance the next day, Saturday, July 25, in the Hamilton District Court.
Siddiqui's lawyer, Kerry Burroughs, said an integral part of his client's contract was that he had to have a supervisor.
In Siddiqui's case, he was given senior Waikato DHB psychiatrist Dr Andrew Darby. According to a report penned by Dr Darby in May, Siddiqui had been performing well, receiving "exceeds expected standard" in most areas, including clinical knowledge, diagnostic skills, time management, recognising limits, professional knowledge, reliability and professional manner, his defence lawyer told the Herald.
By July Siddiqui sent "all his managers" an email outlining his safety concerns about the admission of an acute patient.
It was from then, Mr Burroughs said, things began to go downhill for his client. The day after sending his email, Siddiqui caught up with Dr Darby when he was told that Dr Darby was withdrawing his supervisory role.
No supervisor, means no work.
Emails and communications continued for the rest of the week, between the pair and Waikato DHB clinical director of mental health and addictions Dr Rees Tapsell. On Friday, July 17, Siddiqui received an email confirming Dr Darby's stance, meaning he could no longer work until the DHB found a replacement.
That action by the DHB was reported to the New Zealand Medical Council which also investigated.
Mr Burroughs told the Herald Siddiqui was not happy and over the weekend of July 18 and 19, he began to stress about not being able to practise before visiting Mr Burroughs the following Tuesday.
Mr Burroughs said by then his client had worked himself up even more and wasn't making much sense so he told him to go away and come back with more information on the Thursday.
But by then, Mr Burroughs said, Siddiqui had heard word that his mother's illness had worsened and she was now terminal.
The next day, he emailed his managers and stated that he wanted to end his contract and head back to India to his sick mother. Then, he headed up to Auckland for a 2pm appointment with his other lawyer acting on his behalf over the DHB and the withdrawal of Dr Darby's supervisory role.
He returned to Hamilton just before 8pm to find police searching his apartment and was subsequently arrested.
He appeared in court the next day, remanded in custody without plea. He reappeared on Monday, when his name suppression was lifted and he was refused bail.
The police, in their case against Siddiqui, claim he may have two passports.
That is denied by Mr Burroughs - he told the Herald his client has an Indian passport and a US green card.
Police allege that Siddiqui used the credentials of a Dr Mohammed Shafi Siddiqui, who is also a psychiatrist but based out of Naperville, Illinois. They also allege that he used that doctor's referees as his own.
The document at the centre of the police inquiry is the practising certificate - or physician and surgeon's licence - issued by the State of Illinois' Department of Financial and Professional Regulation on September 13, 2012.
Mr Burroughs wouldn't comment on why or how his client came to be in possession of it or if it was his client's.
But both the Waikato DHB and police wanted him to remain behind bars until they could verify his identity.
Judge Spear agreed and said the best way for that to happen was to lift name suppression and keep him in custody.
"There is a need for the public to understand exactly what's happening with this case," Judge Spear said on Monday.
"There's a need for openness in the pursuit of justice and there is no reason at all in my view of any significance that would justify renewed name suppression or for the defendant not to be subject to in-court media coverage."
But Mr Burroughs said his client is who he says he is and it was simply a clerical error.
"He came here looking for a job and hasn't put a foot wrong. He was working really well. He wasn't after the money, he just came out here because he had been here before and he liked the place. Just wanted to come and work."
The incident has again put the spotlight on the Waikato DHB.
Eighteen months ago it hit the news for hiring another United States psychiatrist, Dr Paul Fox, who fled the country while under scrutiny for alleged professional misconduct.
Dr Fox treated Adam Lanza, the young gunman later responsible for the Sandy Hook school massacre in Connecticut in December 2012.
At the time, Dr Tapsell said he was "a competent psychiatrist and a good addition to the mental health team at Waikato DHB".
Two days after Siddiqui's arrest, Health Minister Jonathan Coleman announced the Waikato DHB's mental health services would be subject to a formal inspection and be carried out by the Ministry's Director of Mental Health, Dr John Crawshaw.
That inspection began last week and a report is expected to be compiled taking up to eight weeks.
Meanwhile, the Medical Council's chairman Andrew Connolly said authorities might have to now review vetting processes.
He said there were now more questions than answers, including if Siddiqui wasn't entitled to the documents, how did he get them, and how did they get past the eyes of his staff.
Dr Connolly told Radio NZ all staff who oversaw the registration of medical professionals were trained in how to identify document fraud.
He said all doctors had to be rigorously checked to ensure they were "as good as their paperwork" suggested.
After being alerted to Siddiqui's alleged actions, the Waikato DHB has been scrambling to work out how many patients have been affected and to what extent.
The DHB confirmed that he did prescribe medication.
As of yesterday , a spokeswoman confirmed that just three of Siddiqui's 27 patients that he met one-on-one were still to be tracked down.
The other 48 were followed up by teams or clinicians after seeing Siddiqui and were already aware of the alleged identity theft.
Mr Burroughs said nothing should be read into his client wanting to leave the country as there was nothing in his contract which meant he had to give notice that he was leaving, and the legal action involving the Medical Council could have continued with him living in India.
As for Siddiqui's personal situation, he is estranged from his wife who still lives in the United States with his two children, an 18-year-old daughter and 20-year-old son, who both attend university.
The family has lived there since at least the early 1990s as Siddiqui gained his Philosophy Degree in Arizona in 1992.
His children were holidaying in New Zealand and happened to be in Hamilton when he was arrested by police.
They were due to leave the country earlier this week.
How the case unfolded
January: Mohamed Shakeel Siddiqui arrives and begins work May: Receives four-month appraisal from senior supervisor Dr Andrew Darby, "exceeding expected expectations" in most fields. July 12: Siddiqui sends an email to managers outlining concerns about the admission of an acute patient. July 13: Is advised verbally by Dr Darby that he is going to withdraw as his supervisor. July 17: Siddiqui receives official letter from the WDHB confirming Darby's withdrawal, meaning Siddiqui can no longer work. July 21: Visits Mr Burroughs for legal advice. July 23: Visits Mr Burroughs again, advises him about his terminally ill mother, says he will probably just head back to India. July 25: Has a 2pm meeting with his Auckland lawyer regarding action from medical council. Also emails WDHB to advise he no longer wishes to continue his contract. Arrives back to his Hamilton apartment just before 8pm to find police searching his apartment. Is then arrested. July 26: Appears in Hamilton District Court charged with obtaining by deception. Remanded in custody. August 3: Reappears in HDC for second bail hearing. Refused. Today: New bail application to be made in Hamilton District Court.
Mohamed Shakeel Siddiqui
• From India • 1992 - Issued degree of Philosophy from University of Arizona • 2008 - Degree of Doctor of Medicine issued by the Medical University of the Americas, in the West Indies • 2011 - Degree in Psychiatry and Neurology issued by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology • Document at centre of inquiry - Physician and Surgeon's Licence [practising certificate] issued by the State of Illinois' Department of Financial and Professional Regulation on September 13, 2012, expires on July 31, 2017
Dr. Mohammed S. Siddiqui, MD. Specializes in Geriatric Psychiatry. Photo / Supplied
• Works at Edward Hospital & Health Services, in Naperville, Illinois • Psychiatrist with Linden Oaks Medical Group's behavioural health team • Earned his medical degree from Deccan College of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, India • Completed residency in adult psychiatry at Brookdale Hospital Centre, Brooklyn, New York • Completed fellowship in geriatric psychiatry at Northwestern Memorial Hospital's McGaw Medical Center in Chicago
