8 fake doctors, without degrees, running clinics held in Gujarat

Surat: The Surat city police’s Special Operations Group (SOG), along with teams from the district health department, raided eight clinics in the Pandesara area of Surat in Gujarat and arrested eight persons accused of practising medicine without recognised medical qualifications, police said on Thursday, IANS reported.

The raids were carried out on September 16 following instructions from Surat Police Commissioner Wabang Jamir to identify persons running clinics without medical degrees or with allegedly fake qualifications.

The operation was conducted under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Rajdeepsinh Nakum.

According to the police, SOG personnel received information that several clinics were being operated by individuals posing as doctors in the Pandesara area.

Head Constable Jagshibhai Shantibhai and Police Constable Devendradan Gambhirdan subsequently verified the information using dummy patients at eight locations, after which it was found to be correct.

A joint operation was then planned with the district health department. Chief District Health Officer Dr Anil Patel formed three teams of health officials, while the SOG constituted three teams led by Inspector K. A. Savaliya, Sub-inspectors M. D. Sarvaiya and M. D. Hadiya.

The teams conducted simultaneous raids at the eight locations.

The persons identified by police included Parth Debnath, 40, who was found operating the Prince Clinic near Kailash Chowkdi in Ranchhodnagar Society.

"He is a Class 12 pass and has been running the clinic for two years. He claimed to have experience because his father was a BHMS doctor," officials said.

His brother, Siddharth Debnath, 38, was allegedly running S K Clinic in Ishwarnagar. He too was a Class 12 pass and had been running the clinic for four years, police said, adding that he cited his father's BHMS qualification as his source of experience.

Vinodkumar Sahani, 36, was found at Angel Clinic in Shivam Nagar Society on Bamroli Road. Police said he had been practising for three years and had worked as an operating theatre assistant at different hospitals.

Manoranjan Biswal, 54, was allegedly running Pragati Clinic in Hariom Nagar Society in the Gujarat Housing Board area. Police said he had studied BSc and BAMS and had been running the clinic for two years.

Sajal Biswas, 21, was allegedly operating Sai Baba Clinic at Ganesh Complex in Karmayogi Society. A Class 12 pass, he had experience working as a hospital compounder and had been running the clinic for two years, according to police.

Vijay Yadav, 55, was allegedly operating an unnamed clinic on the first floor of Jay Pawan Medical and General Stores on Gowalk Road in Radheshyam Nagar.

Police said he was a Class 12 pass and had 15 years' experience as a hospital compounder, and had been running the clinic for five years.

Sandeep Sonawane, 49, was allegedly running a clinic marked ‘Dawakhana’ in Karmayogi Society on Bamroli-Gowalk Road.

"He was a Class 12 pass and had eight years' experience as a hospital compounder at a hospital in Jalgaon district of Maharashtra. He had been running the clinic for six years," police said.

The eighth person, Shyamnarayan Gupta, 53, was allegedly operating Shyam Clinic on the first floor of Shivam Nagar Society-2 on Bamroli-Gowalk Road.

Police said he had studied for a BSc, had worked at a clinic in Varanasi, and had been running it for 10 years.

During the raids, the teams seized different medicines, injections and syrups with a total stated value of Rs 98,825. Cases were registered against the eight accused at Pandesara Police Station.

Officials also referred to a separate case involving Parth Debnath.

"He had earlier operated a dispensary called Swastik Clinic and treated a 14-year-old boy, Abhishek Singh, from Pandesara about a month ago. The boy subsequently died," they said.

The boy's family raised allegations against the doctor following the death, after which an accidental death case was registered at Pandesara Police Station.

Police said the matter is currently under investigation.