A DOCTOR who was questioned in a major sex abuse investigation is to face allegations of professional misconduct.

Dr Barkat Chowdhury, a former doctor at Blackburn Royal Infirmary, is to face the hearing after a file containing allegations of sexual abuse dating back 20 years was passed to the General Medical Council by police.

Dr Chowdhury was arrested by Lancashire Police at his medical practice in Telford, Shropshire, in 2001, as part of Operation Nevada - which was the largest child sex abuse probe ever undertaken in Britain.

The allegations against Dr Chowdhury are said to involve "inappropriate touching" and related to when he practised in Lancashire more than 20 years ago.

Police investigated the allegations and then passed a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service.

However, the CPS decided there was insufficient evidence to continue with a criminal prosecution.

The police then passed the evidence to the General Medical Council, resulting in the hearing on March 30 in Manchester.

A Lancashire police officer involved in the investigation of Dr Chowdhury is to be a witness at the GMC hearing.

At the time of his arrest Dr Chowdhury, a middle-aged father-of-two, practised in Telford alongside his wife Saema, who is also a doctor, at the Leegomery Medical Practice.

Dr Chowdhury, who has been a registered doctor since 1978, currently lives at Exeter Drive, Telford.

In 2001 detectives from Lancashire sent more than 350 letters to patients and former patients of his practice in Telford, asking for their help in the investigation.

A police spokesman said: "We arrested Dr Chowdhury in 2001 because of allegations of alleged inappropriate touching and we investigated thoroughly but the Crown Prosecution Service decided there was insufficient evidence to warrant prosecution.

"Our file was passed to the General Medical Council for them to have a look even though there was insufficient evidence for a criminal prosecution.

"The historical offences relate back to his time in Lancashire. One of our officers is due to attend the hearing to give evidence."

A spokesman for the General Medical Council said: "Dr Barkat Chowdhury is due to appear before a professional conduct committee due to begin on March 30."

Operation Nevada was initially prompted by claims made against men who worked at Lancashire care homes in the Blackburn and Blackpool areas and the allegations stretched back more than 30 years.