Fact Check: Claim of Top Officials of Delhi Medical Council Being Suspended is Misleading

New Delhi: The viral news claiming that top officials of the Delhi Medical Council have been suspended is Misleading. Contrary to the claim, an official document from the Health & Family Welfare Department of the Delhi Government (dated March 5, 2025) as per this order, has not directed an outright suspension but instead sought a response from the officials regarding allegations of misconduct. The letter highlights serious concerns but explicitly requests clarifications before any final action is taken.

The Medical Dialogues Fact Check Team came across news reports highlighting the matter. One such report in the  The New Indian Express , carries a title, that is misleading, "Top officials of Delhi Medical Council suspended over unlawful tenure extension, financial irregularities."

Fact Check

The claim that "top officials of Delhi Medical Council suspended over unlawful tenure extension," is misleading. The Delhi Government has issued a notice to key DMC officials, including Dr. Arun Gupta, Dr. Girish Tyagi, and Dr. Naresh Chawla, seeking explanations regarding multiple allegations.

These include the illegal tenure extension of Dr. Girish Tyagi, allegedly facilitated by Dr. Arun Gupta through the manipulation of official records, allowing Dr. Tyagi to continue beyond the retirement age of 60 without proper approvals. A letter dated December 12, 2019, allegedly issued by Dr. Gupta, is under scrutiny for unlawfully granting this extension, and despite this, Dr. Tyagi was further permitted an additional year after 2024, violating regulations.

The government has also flagged financial misconduct, stating that Dr. Tyagi continued to receive salary and benefits post-retirement, causing significant financial losses to the exchequer, and has now ordered the recovery of all misappropriated funds paid to him since 2019.

Additionally, unauthorized recruitment is another major concern, with allegations that Dr. Gupta and Dr. Chawla initiated an unlawful hiring process for a Deputy Registrar position without obtaining the necessary government approvals. The interviews scheduled for February 24-25, 2025, have since been canceled by the government.

Furthermore, there is  alleged defiance of government orders, as the Special Secretary (Health & Family Welfare) had issued a directive on November 27, 2024, for Dr. Tyagi’s immediate removal, but this was ignored. Instead, Dr. Tyagi allegedly provided misleading legal responses without informing council members.

Lastly, a pending vigilance inquiry (Complaint No. 46959/2024) accuses Dr. Gupta and Dr. Tyagi of unauthorized use of signatures and financial resources beyond their tenure, with Dr. Chawla also implicated for allegedly manipulating council decisions to support these irregular actions.

Despite the serious allegations, the official document does not confirm the suspension of any officials. Instead, the Health & Family Welfare Department has given the officials three days to respond before any action is decided. The letter seeks clarification and does not impose an immediate suspension.

The subject of the letter mentions the suspension; however, the letter clearly states that clarification must be provided within three days. The attached image of the letter is included for reference.

The Medical Dialogues report covering the news is titled "Delhi Medical Council in Hot Seat! Govt Demands Clarifications on alleged Violations" A few other portals also reported the incident. The Times of India report was titled "Govt seeks reply from DMC in 3 days over malpractices." Similarly, another report by MillenniumPost was titled "Govt seeks clarification on allegations against DMC officials"

The Delhi government has now directed the DMC to provide a detailed, pointwise response to all allegations. Any further action, including possible suspension or disciplinary measures, will be determined only after reviewing the officials' responses and the ongoing vigilance investigation.

Medical Dialogues Final Take

The viral claim that top officials of the Delhi Medical Council have been suspended is misleading. The Health & Family Welfare Department has instructed the DMC to submit a detailed response within three days, affirming the validity of the suspension. The document primarily raises concerns and seeks explanations before any decisive action is taken.

Hence, the claim in the media report is MISLEADING.