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Time of India
7 days ago
- Time of India
After 50 C-sections in 10 years, doc with fake degree lands in cop net
1 2 Guwahati/Silchar: A fake doctor, who performed atleast 50 C-section and gynaecological surgeries over a decade at two private hospitals in Silchar , has finally landed in police net after being caught in the act. The accused, Pulok Malakar, was produced before a local court on Monday, which remanded him in five-day police custody. He was arrested a day earlier. Malakar, claimed to possess an MBBS degree and a CDM Pune qualification. CDM Pune refers to a certificate in disaster management course offered through distance and open learning. Malakar is the 50th fake doctor caught in the state under an initiative of one Dr Abhijit Neog, who is now the vigilance officer of the anti-quackery cell under the Assam Council of Medical Registration. While fake doctors have been caught from various parts of the state over the years, including the capital Guwahati, the arrest of Malakar was the first case where a fake doctor was apprehended for conducting major surgeries. The quack was nabbed while performing a caesarean section at a private hospital in Silchar. The accused is from Badrpurghat in Sribhumi district and reportedly masqueraded as a qualified medical practitioner for an extended period at the hospital. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo He allegedly conducted surgeries and offered various treatments at the autonomous charitable hospital from where he was arrested. "From a reliable source, our cell got the information that he was performing a surgery at the hospital," Dr Neog told TOI on Monday. Prior to the arrest, a zero FIR was lodged by Dr Neog on July 30 at the CID police station in Guwahati. He said prior to lodging the FIR, the anti-quackery cell, after investigation, found that Malakar did not have any medical qualification. "He does not have a valid registration number as a doctor. CDM is a six-month correspondence course offered by IGNOU and has nothing to do with medical science," Dr Neog added. Police sources revealed that Malakar submitted certificates claiming to have medical qualifications from the Odisha Council of Medical Registration and Utkal University. However, preliminary verification suggests that the documents were dubious and not legally tenable. Officials said the conditions of the patients operated on by Malakar will be examined following the seizure of hospital records. Sources said while tea gardens, semi-urban, and rural areas are vulnerable to the menace of fake doctors, the recent arrest of several quacks from Guwahati raised concern among the patients in the state capital as well. It may be noted that the hospital from where Malakar was nabbed on Sunday evening was founded in 1931, one of the oldest in Silchar. This hospital has a long-standing reputation for serving the poor and underprivileged in the northeast, especially women and children. The exposure of such a serious lapse has dented the hospital's credibility and raised questions about oversight and verification protocols, officials said.
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Time of India
3 Nepalese detained in Hojai for posing as eye doctors
Guwahati: Anti-Quackery & Vigilance Cell of Assam, along with the police, cracked down on people posing as ophthalmologists from Nepal, detaining three Nepali citizens in Hojai district, officials said on Wednesday. According to police, the three persons were taken from a day-long health camp to Hojai police station for questioning on Tuesday. Their names have not yet been disclosed. They were served legal notices and later released on a PR bond, officials said. This marks the fourth operation by the cell resulting in the detention of seven individuals so far this year. The action was initiated after the cell of the Assam Council of Medical Registration lodged a complaint regarding the alleged fraudulent practitioners. Police visited the health camp to verify their credentials and qualifications. Anti-quackery & vigilance officer of the Assam govt, Dr Abhijit Neog, wrote on social media, "The fledgling Anti Quackery & Vigilance Cell of the Assam Council of Medical Registration has been successful in its drive against quackery with the detention of three persons claiming to be Ophthalmologists (which they were not), from Mechi Eye & Aesthetic Hospital, Nepal, when they were conducting an Eye Treatment Camp at Hojai. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo " Neog said of the three detainees — all in their 20s — one was an optometrist, another an ophthalmic assistant, and the third an assistant without any medical qualification. Sources said the optometrist had studied at a private university in Guwahati. He said the camp's advertisement had falsely claimed that renowned ophthalmologists from Nepal would conduct the treatments, yet none of the detained individuals were qualified doctors. "This was a case of cheating, as people were led to believe that eminent ophthalmologists from Nepal would treat them, but none were actually present. It constitutes a criminal breach of trust," Neog added. Prior to the Hojai camp, the same people had reportedly organised two similar camps in Guwahati on Monday. Authorities are now investigating whether they had proper authorisation to conduct eye check-ups and treatments. "We had been tracking them for some time," Neog said. Hojai SP, Saurabh Gupta, said, "They are not doctors and have been served a legal notice to respond." The complaint report has been sent to the court. Police said it is a non-cognisable offense. If court orders an investigation, the trio will be summoned and will have to answer before court. Neog said such fraudulent activities have been prevalent in areas like Barpeta Road, Nagaon, and Guwahati (Gita Mandir & Silpukhuri) over the past few years, exploiting public trust in Nepal's reputed eye care services.
