N.B. doctor accused of sexual assault in N.S. had his Quebec licence revoked in 2022

A New Brunswick doctor charged in a Nova Scotia sexual assault had license revoked in Quebec.

A New Brunswick doctor accused of sexual assault in Nova Scotia earlier this year previously had his license to practice revoked in Quebec.

Dr. Sanjeev Sirpal had been working at the Edmundston Regional Hospital until Thursday, when the RCMP issued a release stating he had been arrested and charged with sexual assault.

“As of today, Dr. Sanjeev Sirpal is no longer on the schedule at Edmundston Regional Hospital, and his clinical activities are on hold pending the conclusion of the legal process,” the Vitalité Health Network said in a statement to CTV News on Thursday.

The sexual assault is alleged to have occurred in January at the Cumberland Regional Health Centre in Amherst, N.S.

Police received a complaint in May and arrested Sirpal on Aug. 14, before announcing the charge on Thursday. He was released on conditions, pending a court appearance in November.

RCMP believe there are more alleged victims.

Quebec license revoked

Nova Scotia Health confirmed Sirpal was working intermittent emergency department shifts in Nova Scotia on a locum basis from September 2023 to March 2025, as part of the Atlantic Registry, which allow physicians to work across the region without having to apply for licensure in each province. It says he was not a permanent employee.

But prior to that, Sirpal ran into disciplinary troubles in Quebec. His license to practice in that province was revoked in 2022 after a ruling by Quebec’s regulatory college determined Sirpal had lied about his resume in 2019.

The Oct. 11, 2022 ruling says that Sirpal did not tell the truth related to his misconduct, antecedents and referrals in his previous career when obtaining his permit to practice as a specialist in family medicine in the province.

The judgment says he “knowingly” provided the Quebec College of Physicians “inaccurate information on his antics on various American university campuses.”

The complainant argued that “he systematically concealed facts that were potentially prejudicial to his admission to the Order, and by his responses, he demonstrated mental restriction.”

In response, Sirpal’s counsel argued that he answered questions on the college’s registration “to the best of his knowledge” and that “he cannot be blamed for having made a poor analysis of the form.”

New Brunswick college responds

The New Brunswick College of Physicians and Surgeons tells CTV News in a statement that the criminal charge against Sirpal is “very concerning” and that steps are being taken to determine what further action is needed.

When asked about Sirpal’s ability to practice in New Brunswick despite his Quebec license being revoked, the college’s registrar said: “It is essential to note that at the time Quebec revoked his license, Dr. Sirpal was already licensed and had been working in New Brunswick for several months.”

“During this period, we had received feedback from the Regional Health Authority, indicating that he was performing well without any concerns,” said Dr. Laurie Potter, the registrar and CEO of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick.

“Based on this, we made the determination at that time to continue his license.”

On Friday, Nova Scotia Health declined further comment on Sirpal’s Quebec license revocation and Vitalité Health Network said: “We have no further statement to offer at this time.”

The registrar and CEO of Nova Scotia’s College of Physicians and Surgeons could not be reached for comment on Friday, as a spokesperson said he is on vacation.

Licence restrictions

In March 2025, two restrictions were placed on Sirpal’s license by the New Brunswick College of Physicians and Surgeons. However, the college says they are unrelated to the criminal charge laid against Sirpal in Nova Scotia.

The restrictions on Sirpal’s New Brunswick license are:

• can only conduct intimate examinations of a patient’s sexual organs or breasts, regardless of their gender, in the presence of a chaperone
• must explain to the patient, in the presence of the chaperone, the rationale for the intimate examination and document this discussion and the identity of the chaperone in the chart

N.B. health minister cites strict hiring, monitoring processes

On Friday, New Brunswick Health Minister Dr. John Dornan declined to speak to the criminal allegations in Nova Scotia – and how much the province knew about Sirpal’s background prior to hiring him.

However, Dornan maintained that the public should have confidence in the health-care system.

“They should have faith. There’s a very strict, reviewing process at our college, at our [regional health authorities],” he said. “It doesn’t happen just on entry. It happens on a regular basis.

“We don’t hear about [instances like this] very often, fortunately, because there’s a good process that screens people, whether it’s physicians, nurses or other health-care providers.”

-With files from CTV Atlantic’s Andrea Jerrett

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