London, Feb 22 (IANS): Police in Britain are investigating the deaths of a number of patients who were under the care of an Indian-origin surgeon.

The Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust in West Midlands, where Sudip Sarker,44, worked as a consultant, is facing a multi-million-pound compensation bill, the Telegraph reported Friday.

Police confirmed Friday that they have launched an investigation into “the deaths of a number of patients” after receiving information from bereaved relatives.

The relatives have claimed that their kin died as a result of Sarker's blunders.

Some of his former patients claimed that they were misdiagnosed.

Sarker was suspended after a study by the Royal College of Surgeons found that death rates of his patients were twice as high as average surgeons in his field of keyhole colorectal surgery.

The investigation has also found that Sarker had made untrue boasts on his biodata, such as winning a “distinction in surgery” prize, which does not exist.

The accused worked at the trust from August 2011 until he was suspended in October 2012.

Before that, he was employed with the Whittington NHS trust, and the Royal Free London NHS Foundation trust, both in North London.

"This is a complex matter which will undoubtedly take a considerable amount of time to investigate thoroughly,” Kevin Purcell, superintendent of police, North Worcestershire was quoted as saying.