Dr Kulanayagam Sathiyapal to face new tribunal hearing over sexual misconduct allegations, hush money claims

A former western Sydney doctor who allegedly paid a patient thousands in hush money after touching her breast will face a fresh tribunal hearing after the first proceedings were thrown out. This is why.

Dr Kulanayagam Sathiyapal. Photo: Contributed

A disgraced former western Sydney doctor who allegedly inappropriately touched a female patient during an appointment and then paid her $5000 to keep quiet will face a fresh tribunal hearing for his actions.

Dr Kulanayagam Sathiyapal, who was a general practitioner at Ropes Crossing Medical Practice from 2016 to 2020, was found guilty in a NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) on February 5 of unsatisfactory professional conduct and professional misconduct by the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) after he acted inappropriately towards a 24-year-old patient during an appointment at the Blacktown practice in 2019.

The tribunal also found that Dr Sathiyapal paid the patient and her partner $5000 in hush money to stop them going to the police.

Dr Sathiyapal. Photo: Contributed

Dr Sathiyapal was to return to the tribunal to hear his punishment in April, but a new inquiry into the matter will be heard instead after the presiding judge finished her five-year term in office at the end of February and did not seek re-appointment.

Following a new decision of Acting Judge Nancy Hennessy, the initial inquiry, where Dr Sathiyapal was found guilty, will be abandoned and restarted under a new judge and with new members.

It was not shared publicly when the new inquiry will be heard.

Tribunal documents state Dr Sathiyapal’s now alleged inappropriate conduct included him placing his hand down the front of the woman’s shirt, inside her bra and grabbing her left breast when she felt she was having a panic attack.

He also allegedly made inappropriate comments including: “you should leave your partner and kids and come with me” and “I’ll pay for your services” when he told her he was relocating to Perth.

Dr Sathiyapal worked at Ropes Crossing Medical Practice in Sydney's west from 2016 to 2020.

It was alleged he offered the patient $5000 in hush money and said: “Please don’t go to the police. Look at the colour of my skin. Please, I’m a black man. I can’t go to (jail). If I go to (jail), they’ll kill me. I have money. I’ll give you money.”

Dr Sathiyapal denied he was ever “sexually suggestive” with the patient and claimed the hush money was fraudulently taken from his bank account.

The HCCC became involved after the patient disclosed her experience during an admission to hospital in 2020.

Dr Sathiyapal has been contacted for comment.