A sexual‑assault charge against a physician practising in northwestern New Brunswick was withdrawn during a court appearance this week, court records show. Dr. Sanjeev Sirpal, 39, had been accused of sexually assaulting a patient at the Edmundston Regional Hospital in August 2025.
Charge withdrawn in Edmundston; reason not disclosed
During a Tuesday appearance in Edmundston provincial court, a Crown prosecutor formally withdrew the charge. Court documents and public reporting did not state the reason for the withdrawal. Sirpal was scheduled to stand trial on the Edmundston matter in February of next year.
The withdrawal does not affect other outstanding allegations against Sirpal. He remains free while criminal proceedings continue in both New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
Other charges and upcoming court dates
According to publicly available information, Sirpal faces additional charges arising from separate alleged incidents:
- An alleged sexual assault at the Sackville Memorial Hospital on Feb. 22, 2025; a trial on that charge is scheduled in Moncton provincial court for April 13–14, 2026.
- Two charges alleging sexual assaults at the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre near Amherst, N.S., purportedly from January 2025; trials on those counts are scheduled for November and December 2025 in Nova Scotia.
Sirpal’s licence to practise medicine in New Brunswick was suspended in August 2025 by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick. The college announcement accompanied the criminal cases but disciplinary and criminal processes operate independently.
| Allegation | Location | Alleged date | Scheduled court dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sexual assault | Edmundston Regional Hospital | August 2025 | Trial was scheduled for Feb. 2026 (charge withdrawn) |
| Sexual assault | Sackville Memorial Hospital | Feb. 22, 2025 | Moncton provincial court, Apr. 13–14, 2026 |
| Two sexual-assault charges | Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre (Amherst, N.S.) | January 2025 | Trials scheduled Nov. and Dec. 2025 (Nova Scotia) |
What the withdrawal means — and what it does not
A Crown withdrawal means the specific charge in Edmundston will not proceed to trial at this time, but it does not equate to a finding of innocence or guilt on the underlying allegation. It also does not change the status of the other matters that remain before courts in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
Legal proceedings can be paused, withdrawn or refiled for a variety of procedural, evidentiary or investigative reasons. Those details are handled by the Crown and police; they were not provided publicly in this case.
Community and patient-safety context
Allegations of sexual assault involving health‑care professionals raise concerns about patient safety and public trust in regional hospitals. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick put a practice suspension in place in August 2025, a measure typically used to remove practising privileges while investigations and any regulatory hearings proceed.
Local health authorities and police agencies generally advise anyone with concerns about past or recent inappropriate conduct by a health‑care professional to contact law enforcement or the appropriate regulatory body. Specific contact details and reporting procedures are provided by those agencies.
Next steps
Sirpal remains at liberty pending the outcomes of the remaining prosecutions. The Moncton and Nova Scotia court dates remain on the docket as scheduled.
- One charge withdrawn in Edmundston provincial court (reason not publicly disclosed).
- Two additional matters scheduled in Nova Scotia for later this year; one matter scheduled in Moncton for April 2026.
- Licence suspended by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick in August 2025.
As proceedings continue, the Crown, police and regulatory bodies will be the sources for updates on charges, evidence and any administrative decisions. This office will monitor developments and report further court outcomes.
