Maharashtra: Medical Council dismisses False Charges against Drug Rehabilitation Specialist

According to a recent report by Mid-day, in the order dated 31.03.2021, the Council held that the allegations against the doctor held no merit and there was no violation on the doctor's part regarding the Code of Medical Ethics or Professional Misconduct.

Also Read: Specialist doctor in soup: Medical council issues notice based on complaint alleging violence, sexual abuse

Medical Dialogues had reported last year that the drug rehabilitation specialist doctor fell in soup after the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) issued a notice to the medical practitioner based on complaints of violence and sexual abuse against him.

The Council had detailed the charges and sought his reply in the alleged complaint that includes violation of the medical code of ethics by involving in unnecessary consultation; involvement in professional misconduct of adultery or improper conduct with patients, abuses; soliciting practice by advertisements, running an opens hop, dispensing drugs and appliances and exploiting patients; prescribing steroids or Psychotic drugs without medical indication; storing and selling of Schedule H drugs; disclosing patient's secrets, publishing their pictures without permission; practicing psychiatry although only registered as an MBBS.

The direction came in wake of the complaint moved by a man on September 14 against the doctor, who founded his Drug Abuse Rehab centre in 1983. The complainant alleged that the medical practitioner was involved in "unconventional treatment of substance abuse and mental illness".

The allegations as mentioned in the MMC notice, the doctor allegedly manipulated women into long-term, non-consensual sexual situations with emotional support and financial assistance. He had also been charged for causing physical assault and violence by "choking, kicking, slapping or otherwise violently assaulting the male patients and using criminal force even on minors".

It had also been alleged that the doctor prescribed psychotropic medication meant for mental conditions such as anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia with "aplomb even to minors". He allegedly did multiple ECT (electro-convulsive shock therapy) for minors without consent from or family knowledge.

Also Read: Court Relief: Bombay HC cancels trial against doctor for not reporting child sexual abuse

Mentioning that justice has finally prevailed, the counsel for the doctor, Adv. Latiwala told Mid-day that MMC observed that there was no merit and evidence at all in the case.

She further told the daily that the entire case was a frivolous and malicious prosecution as all the charges against the doctor were baseless and unsubstantiated. In fact, she claimed that her client had been framed by some disgruntled elements, who were trying to bring discredit and disrepute to his name for stopping him to work for the rehabilitation of substance abusers.

The counsel for the doctor further mentioned that the complainants, supported by an unregistered and recently formed social organization PARA, were trying to get a media trial for the doctor to malign his name.

Another counsel for the doctor, Dr. Shenoy supported this claim and told the daily, "Meaningless and baseless allegations have now become a norm. It is legalized harassment and extortion that doctors and other professionals are subject to nowadays."

The doctor, who is the founder president of the Mumbai-based Drug Abuse Information Rehabilitation and Research center, got the deadly drug MCAT (Meow Meow) banned in India by filing a PIL. Naturally, his All India Drug Prevention campaigns and especially the PIL against MCAT earned him many enemies, adds Mid-day.

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