Mumbai doctor duped of Rs 34.97 lakh under pretext of free medical camps

The victim has been identified as a resident of Andheri who runs a clinic. The accused is a 52-year-old doctor who introduced himself as a paediatrician from Santacruz with a clinic in Juhu. The doctor allegedly orchestrated an elaborate plan and posed as a trustee of Sai Sansthan Shirdi and Baba Hospital Trust.

He approached the victim and convinced him that he would organize free medical camps during COVID-19 to benefit the people during the crisis. The victim first came in contact with the accused in 2020 as he was visiting a patient. The accused, posing as a trustee, requested money for free medical camps during the pandemic, which the victim supplied. He gave Rs 5 lakh without securing any proof of the payment, reports Free Press Journal. 

Later, the accused devised a plan to organise free medical camps for the public and police officers. He convinced the doctor that his money would be reimbursed after following the protocols. Convinced by his words, the victim organised free medical camps at nearly 45 police stations which cost him rupees Rs. 34.97 lakh.

The victim easily believed the accused doctor but received a stern warning from a senior officer of Juhu police station who informed him about the past cases of cheating against the accused doctor. When the victim-doctor approached the accused to get a refund for the medical camps, the doctor allegedly feigned ignorance and transferred the responsibility to his employees stating that he was not aware of it, reports the Daily.

Eventually, the doctor was informed that the accused escaped with the money and had been involved in cases of cheating. In a similar case, he was accused of cheating a person of Rs 1 crore in Ahmednagar. In 2021, the doctor met the victim and assured him his money would be reimbursed. Because of the assurance, the victim-doctor deferred his idea of filing a complaint against him. However, after his 5 checks bounced in 2023, finally on October 18, he lodged an FIR against the accused doctor under section 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in Amboli police station.