Junior Doctor Accused of Falsely Claiming ENT Qualifications Files Plea in Calcutta HC
Calcutta High Court
Kolkata: Junior doctor Asfakulla Naiya, accused of falsely claiming to be an ENT surgeon, has approached the Calcutta High Court to challenge a summons issued by the Bidhannagar police in connection with their ongoing investigation.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the West Bengal Medical Council has issued a show-cause notice to Asfakullah Naiya, a prominent leader of the junior doctors' movement protesting against the rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The notice accuses Naiya of practising as an ENT specialist at a private hospital without the necessary qualifications.
The petition was admitted by Justice Tirthankar Ghosh of the Calcutta High Court on Monday, a formal hearing date has yet to be scheduled. The case is expected to be heard later this week. Naiya filed the petition on the same day he was due to report to the Electronic Complex police station.
As per the recent media reports by Telegraph India, Naiya said, “I won’t comment about the case lodged with the police station. The law will take its course. But I’m aware of my rights and have moved the court challenging the summons.”
The West Bengal Junior Doctors’ Association bolstered the complaint, which first raised concerns when they noticed Naiya listing "MS (Master of Surgery)" as his qualification on a banner advertising healthcare services in Hooghly. The association had previously raised this issue with the state’s chief secretary, accusing Naiya of misrepresenting his academic qualifications.
The show-cause notice issued by the West Bengal Medical Council accused Naiya of practising as an ENT specialist without the necessary qualifications. It pointed out that Naiya, who only holds an MBBS degree, was not authorized to claim the title of ENT surgeon while still pursuing his post-graduation. Following this, a team of around 30 police personnel searched Naiya’s house in Kakdwip, South 24-Parganas.
Naiya stated that the police could have easily met him at RG Kar Hospital, but instead, the team travelled nearly 200 km to his house. A group of junior doctors has claimed that he was being targeted for his role as a "leader of the street protests" following the rape and murder at RG Kar on August 9.
Also Read: RG Kar Verdict: Junior Doctors Protest outside Sealdah Court, Demand Harsher Punishment
The case was registered under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including criminal breach of trust (316) and cheating by impersonation. On January 17, the investigating officer issued a summons, directing Naiya to appear before him on Monday morning. Although Naiya had previously stated that he would attend, he failed to do so.
