Former Battle Creek physician Shekhar Thakur has agreed to pay $705,075 to resolve a federal lawsuit alleging improper prescribing of controlled substances. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan brought the suit, claiming that Thakur regularly prescribed opioids and other drugs without legitimate medical reasons and outside standard professional practices.
According to the complaint filed on July 9, 2024, Thakur issued prescriptions for highly addictive Schedule II opioids without verifying patients’ conditions through physical exams, medical records, or testing. Authorities also alleged he continued prescribing despite evidence that some patients were abusing or diverting the drugs, such as failed urine tests showing use of illicit substances or noncompliance with prescribed medications. Additionally, it was claimed that Thakur prescribed dangerous combinations of drugs like opioids and benzodiazepines.
The complaint stated: “many patients sought out Thakur to feed their addictions to opioids or benzodiazepines. Some of Thakur’s patients shared their drugs with others or sold them on the street.”
Thakur settled by agreeing to pay over $700,000 in exchange for dismissal of the case without an admission of responsibility. He lost his licenses to practice medicine in 2022 and 2023 and voluntarily surrendered his DEA registration in 2020. As part of the settlement, he agreed not to seek reinstatement of his ability to prescribe controlled substances.
U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey commented: “When doctors prescribe drugs without a proper medical purpose, they are drug dealers. This settlement highlights my office’s commitment to hold medical professionals responsible when they cross that line.”
Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge at DEA’s Detroit Field Division said: “Physicians who recklessly prescribe controlled substances endanger patients’ lives and erode communities. We will tirelessly investigate and hold accountable the people responsible for flooding Michigan with illegitimate drugs, to include doctors and healthcare professionals.”
The case was investigated by Assistant United States Attorneys Whitney M. Schnurr and Ryan D. Cobb along with Stacy Race from DEA’s Office of Chief Counsel.
Officials emphasized that the claims resolved are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
