Dr. Raj Bothra
Surgeon, Author & Activist
ABOUT THE SURGEON, AUTHOR & ACTIVIST
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Dr. Raj Bothra is a surgeon, interventional pain management expert, activist, and survivor of one of America's biggest false arrest and imprisonment scandals. A native of a rural town in India, he earned medical degrees in India, England, and the U.S. During his time as a surgeon in Detroit, he built a single-owner private practice that became the nation's largest interventional pain management system (The Pain Center, USA, and Interventional Pain Center). He co-founded the Nargis Dutt Memorial Foundation with his actor turned politician mentor Sunil Dutt and volunteered on various socio-economic issues throughout India and the U.S, even developing a national campaign against drug abuse, HIV/AIDS, and smoking that was developed into educational videos distributed to schools throughout India. He also produced a Hindi film, Mehndi. Dr. Bothra has worked with important public figures, including Indian prime ministers, U.S. presidents, Mother Teresa, and Pope John Paul II. Indian President K.R. Narayanan awarded him the high civilian honor of PADMA SHRI and he’s received numerous awards in India and the U.S. for his public service. Read full bios HERE.
Media & Publications
Forthcoming Tell-All Memoir
Acquitted: U.S.A. vs. Dr. Raj Bothra is a story of wrongful imprisonment, federal government corruption, and a broken judicial system that strives to turn innocent people into convicted criminals. This is also an innocent man’s story of gratitude, steadfast faith, and endurance to persevere until the end of a war waged against him. The book retraces the rollercoaster journey of a surgeon, interventional pain specialist, and activist for just causes who was falsely arrested, imprisoned for over three-and-a-half years, and ultimately acquitted at trial by a jury. May you be encouraged as this story leads you through the many twists and turns of a grueling experience marked by trials, tribulations, and, ultimately, triumphs.
READ MORE HERE.
Closest Thing To Justice Served
New England News: "Padma Shri Raj Bothra acquitted of all charges in US trial"
June 30, 2022
Detroit– Rajendra Bothra, an Indian-origin doctor, and three other physicians were acquitted of charges related to federal allegations they operated a Warren-based prescription drug mill, the media reported.
“We’re glad the jury looked at the evidence and made the appropriate decision in a relatively short amount of time,” Weiss said. “Where does he go to reclaim those 43 months?”
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE.
The Detroit News Reports the Victory
Jury acquits Metro Detroit doctors feds accused of health care fraud scheme
June 29, 2022
In 2018, federal authorities alleged Dr. Rajendra Bothra and several of his colleagues were involved in a multi-million-dollar health care fraud scheme. The renowned surgeon, humanitarian and politician who once received India’s highest civilian honor went on to spend more than three years behind bars as trail was delayed amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The now-80-year old had maintained his innocence throughout the ordeal.
On [June 29, 2022], a jury sided with him and his co-defendants. During a hearing in U.S. District Court in Detroit, they walked out of the courtroom cleared of all accusations.
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE.
Detroit Free Press Reports Botched Case
How 4 doctors beat the feds in botched $500 million pill mill case
by Tresa Baldas, June 30, 2022
- The government told jurors that Dr. Rajendra Bothra was a greedy pill pusher who ran his business like a McDonald's drive thru: pull up, get your pain meds, and go home.
- Bothra's lawyer countered that wasn't the case, that Bothra was a legitimate pain specialist who helped the elderly manage unbearable aches when no one else would.
- "I argued to the jury – 'You don't prosecute McDonalds for selling hamburgers. You don't prosecute KFC for selling chicken. And you shouldn't convict an interventional pain physician for doing his job and issuing prescriptions for people in pain," said defense attorney Art Weiss, whose trial strategy worked.
- READ FULL ARTICLE HERE.
A case that should never have seen the inside of a criminal courtroom
Justice Served (Unfortunately a Little Too Late), details of the case from expert witness Sean M. Weiss, DoctorsManagement
June 30, 2022
Recently, Sean M. Weiss with NAMAS’ parent company DoctorsManagement testified as an expert witness in a federal court case against four healthcare providers in one of the largest Medicare/Medicaid fraud cases in U.S. history.
Read below as Sean recaps the case, or listen to Sean discuss the case with Senior Compliance Consultant, Scott Kraft, of DoctorsManagement HERE.
I testified this past June in one of the largest (nearly $500 million) Medicare/Medicaid Fraud Case in U.S. history. This case (UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff, v. RAJENDRA BOTHRA . . . should never have seen the inside of a criminal courtroom and is a case study in what can happen when an overzealous, uninformed prosecutor unfairly targets a medical practice for something that is, at best, a potential civil matter.
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE.
Detroit News Reports on Dr Bothra's Successful Defense
Warner Norcross + Judd Partner Alan T. Rogalski was featured in a Detroit News article discussing his successful defense of a metro Detroit doctor in what is considered one of the largest health care fraud cases ever prosecuted in the U.S., June 30, 2022
Rogalski, who co-chairs Warner’s Health Care Industry Group, co-led the defense of Dr. Rajendra Bothra, who, along with three other physicians, collectively faced more than 40 counts of health care fraud related to their work at The Pain Center in Warren and related businesses. The case alleged the center was operating as a prescription “pill mill” to unlawfully distribute controlled substances and provide unnecessary procedures and prescriptions totaling nearly $500 million. The jury ultimately found the group not guilty and acquitted them of all charges.
“The government’s case hinged on five key pillars, each of which crumbled under careful cross-examination,” Rogalski told the Detroit News. “It was one of the most remarkable moments of my professional career watching [Bothra] taking his first steps back to a normal life.”
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE.
The American Bazaar Shares Good News
Indian American doctor acquitted in prescription drug scheme trial,
June 30, 2022
- Indian American Dr. Rajendra Bothra and three other Michigan doctors who were accused of being involved in a prescription drug scheme have been acquitted of all charges. Read article HERE.
Pain Center Physicians Acquitted
Jury ACQUITS Physicians Accused in Healthcare Fraud and Opioid Trial
Ronald Chapman II, June 29, 2022
"...the Government alleged that the physicians utilized opioid painkillers such as Hydrocodone to “hook” patients on the pain meds and then coerce patients to undergo unnecessary injections in order to continue to receive pain treatment. The jury didn’t buy it."
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE.
DOJ does whatever it pleases against innocent citizens
Rajendra Bothra, MD
by Linda Cheek, MD, Dec 26, 2018
Dr. Rajendra Bothra, MD, 77, is the owner and one of six doctors at two clinics in Warren and Eastpoint, Michigan, being unbelievably charged with fraud because patients have to come back for a chronic condition. This goes to show the frank handing over the controls stick to the DOJ to do whatever they please against innocent citizens with no fear of responsibility.
The government is trying to create crime if a doctor orders appropriate tests or equipment for chronic pain conditions by coming back afterward and stating they were medically unnecessary, ineligible for reimbursement, and therefore fraud. This is becoming the routine charge now against any doctor who takes government insurance. They are trying to offset the country’s $985 billion debt by confiscating all the payments made to doctors for the last 5 years. So doctors taking care of government insured or Blue Cross Blue Shield, take note: You are treating these patients for free and you will lose your business through bankruptcy when the government charges and fines you to get their money back.
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE.
Dr Raj Bothra Produces Hindi Film
Mehndi (1983)
Dr Raj Bothra & Pam Cine International
Directed by Asit Sen. with Vinod Mehra, Raj Babbar, Ranjeeta Kaur, Bindiya Goswami
Embassy of India Recognizes Dr Bothra's Padma Shri
Dr. Raj Bothra awarded Padma Shri
January 29, 1999
Dr. Raj Bothra of Warren, Michigan, an Indian American, is among this year’s recipients of Padma Shri, one of the high national awards of India conferred on people who have distinguished themselves in different fields. Dr. Bothra has been recognized for his accomplishments in the field of medicine. Apart from his professional achievements in the field of medicine in the United States, Dr. Bothra has been active in working for the poor and the sick in India. For about eight weeks each year, Dr. Bothra leaves his general surgery practice in Warren and travels to his native India at his own expense to work with Indian organizations to increase awareness of HIV/AIDS and drug, tobacco and alcohol addiction.
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE.
Evils of Tobacco
An educational series of Bataji Telefilms produced by Ekta Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor and developed by Dr Raj Bothra and Bibek Debroy, CEO of RGF
- The educational series videos are available for preview and download on YouTube in a muli-series.
Harling Saker Highlights the Commissioned Artwork
at the Bothra's Home
Murals by James Labadie . . . Beautiful Things, 1999
Raj & Pam Bothra filled their home in Bloomfield Hills with all kinds of art. Walking through their home is like touring a museum.
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE.
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE.