Maha: 7 SPECIALISTS Suspended for 5 years, 50 doctors get 1 year suspension each

50 doctors coming out and pleading guilty to the fraud have been given one year suspension, while 7 who skipped the final hearing have been handed over 5 year ban

Maharashtra: 57 medical practitioners working in Maharashtra as specialists have now been suspended by the Maharashtra Medical Council on account submitting fake certificates of PG diploma and fellowships from the College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPS).

It is reported that all these practitioners were practicing after "completing" their PG courses including PG diploma and fellowships from the College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPS). The state medical council stumbled upon the scam over a year ago, while scrutinizing documents of a candidate who had submitted a fake certificate for registration. This prompted the council to launch a statewide probe spanning over the last six months.

The MMC investigations revealed that around 77 doctors had failed the CPS examinations but managed to procure passing certificates and had been practicing based on those specialists degrees since. The state medical council began taking action and 20 of these doctors were suspended in the month of April, 2018. The 20 doctors had confessed that they paid lakhs of rupees in order to procure fake PG degrees and they also named a middleman who is pediatrician by profession.

Read Also: Maharashtra: Medical Council Suspends 20 doctors for fraudulant Specialisation Degrees

Further inquiry has now led to 50 more doctors coming out and pleading guilty to the fraud and submitting written apologies. These doctors have been handed a one year suspension by the council. Another 7 who did not show for the final hearing have been handed over a 5 year ban.

"Our probe revealed 77 doctors had submitted fake CPS certificates, of whom 20 were suspended a few months ago. The seven doctors handed five-year bans did not bother to attend the final hearing and we have taken stringent action against them as per the medical council guidelines. The rest have given written assurances and were handed one-year bans,” MMC president, Dr Shivkumar Uttare told Mumbai Mirror while confirming the punishments handed out to the doctors

Read Also: Mumbai: After Suspension of 20 Doctors, Medical council to question another 53 Specialists

“It is shocking that these doctors, practicing on fake certificates, were holding senior positions in some of the reputed private hospitals. Now we have the option of filing criminal complaints if it comes to light that they have not stopped practicing,” he added.

It whole case of fake certificates, was linked to a larger scam and is alleged to have been involving more medical practitioners, who were assisting these doctors get their "Pass certificates." Doctors allegedly paid between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 6 lakh for the certificates after failing the CPS examination

Mirror adds that a paediatrician, Snehal Nyati, was identified as the one allegedly helping doctors procure fake certificates, after which the MMC permanently revoked Nyati’s registration to practice. The Bhoiwada police filed a charge sheet against Nyati, who is out on bail.

“Our probe will continue,” Uttare stated to the daily, adding that the findings so far have been forwarded to the state government for further action.