Orthopedic surgeon attempting to get registered with Medical Council abroad moves MEA alleging fraud
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Gujarat: An Ahemdabad based orthopedic surgeon has approached the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for redressal after being a victim of an alleged job fraud by a Bangalore based consultancy that claimed to help healthcare professionals in getting placement abroad.
The doctor alleged that despite paying a hefty amount of 4,72,000 to a consultancy, the company failed to furnish him with registration under Ireland Medical Council as they promised him. The doctor alleged that he came to know that consultancy never actually approached the Ireland Medical council for his registration.
Police have registered a case against the agency and its director but the Director denied the allegations and stated that the registration process of the doctor got delayed due to the pandemic.
According to a recent media report by TNIE, the doctor sought the help of MEA against the alleged fraud. He had approached MEA via an email in October last year where he explained that as he wanted to register himself with the Ireland Medical Council, he contacted a Bangalore-based consultancy company in 2018. He signed MoU with the company for enrolling himself with the company to start the registration process in December 2019 and paid the consultancy almost 4,72,000 in two separate installments. The final installment of Rs 177000 was supposed to be paid after the completion of the registration and placement.
The doctor told The New Indian Express, " I had visited *** (consultancy) and had met director, and discussed my registration process. He and his staff had assured me that they were the authorized agency and would complete the registration process within nine months from the date of registration /enrolment (May 2018). Based on their promise, I transferred Rs 4,72,000 in two installments (Rs 1,18,000 on May 23, 2018 and Rs 3,54,000 on August 30, 2018) through bank transfer."
The doctor alleged that even after his several efforts when he did not receive a response regarding the progress of the registration process from the company, he directly contacted the Ireland Medical Council via mail and the doctor informed MEA that to his great shock, he came to know that there was no such communication regarding his registration between the consultancy and Ireland Medical council.
The council also confirmed that the company had no authority to carry out the registration process for the doctor.
The doctor stated that during the last two years he made several visits to Bangalore just to meet the Director and ask him about his registration but in vain. Meanwhile, the consultancy moved their office from HSR layout to Richmond Road and Koramangala.
The doctor after that filed two complaints against the consultancy and the Director at HSR and Koramangala police station.
The MEA has already forwarded the mail to the Protector of Emigrants (PoE) Bangalore and has also asked him to look into the matter and take the necessary steps. Shubham Singh PoE of Bangalore stated that after receiving the complaint, he has looked into the matter and investigated the consultancy. He added, "there is no registered overseas recruitment agency in the name of *** in Karnataka."
Singh affirmed that he has summoned the director of the consultancy but he did not appear. He also stated that he had also received more than one complaint against the company.
HSR police inspector has also summoned the director but he did not appear there either. When he was asked about his disappearance despite the police summon, he stated that he has been in constant touch with the orthopedic surgeon.
Commenting on the complaint, he assured saying, "the agency helps healthcare professionals with the documentation and registration process for overseas placement. We had sent Rs 3 lakh to the Ireland Medical Council for the doctor's documentation but the process has got delayed because of the Covid pandemic." When inquired on the issue of changing his company location, he simply stated that there is nothing uncommon or wrong in changing one's company location.
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