'LiverDoc' Dr Abby Philips summoned by police as Homeopath alleges defamation of AYUSH treatment on social media platform X
Doctors
New Delhi: Dr Cyriac Abby Philips, better known as 'The Liver Doc' on X is once again facing legal troubles as the Inspector of Crime Branch, Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh sent a summons to him asking him to show up at their police station within 3 days.
According to the summons notice shared by the Kerala-based doctor on his social media platform X, he was asked to appear at the Crime Branch Office, District Rae Bareli, in Uttar Pradesh within 3 days after receiving the notice.
"...you are directed to come to the Crime Branch Office, District Rae Bareli within 03 days after receiving the notice in relation to the said allegation and if you.want to provide any evidence in defense of the allegations leveled against you, then present and provide it. Be sure to mark your statement. If you do not appear within the stipulated time and get your statement recorded, then it will be understood that you-have nothing to say regarding the allegations made against you and the allegations made are acceptable to you. Legal action will be taken without waiting for your arrival," stated the summons issued to the doctor.
The police action has been initiated against Dr Philips, a Kerala-based hepatologist, after a Homeopathy Practitioner Singh filed a complaint against him in September 2023 for defaming the AYUSH mode of treatment on social media platforms.
Sharing a copy of the police complaint on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Dr. Philips wrote, "These are the people I have to deal with in this country. Complete disasters. Total waste of my time and money."
Previously, the doctor made some statements that resulted in the suspension of his Twitter account. This action was taken after Himalaya Wellness Corporation filed a lawsuit in Bengaluru's civil court, accusing the doctor of making defamatory accusations against their products. However, later, the court directed the restoration of his account.
Meanwhile, the Homeopath Dr Singh requested the Raebareli police to register an FIR against Dr. Philips for "abusing, defaming and attacking personally the AYUSH mode of treatment on social media platform like X by the account the liver Doc openly inspite of concentrating on his own way of practice."
Dr. Singh further pointed out in his complaint that Dr. Philips made a PIL in the Supreme Court of India. Terming it "baseless", Dr. Singh further pointed out that Dr. Philips was not an expert in Ayurveda or Homeopathy.
"I therefore request you to a FIR against the respective doctor and prevent such type of personal attacks on every Ayush as well as Government vision for Ayush," further read the complaint.
Sharing a copy of the complaint on his X handle, Dr. Philips mentioned, "Inspector of Crime Branch, Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh, sent summons giving 3 days to show up at their police station. At first I thought some child had written it and it was fake. But its not. Detailed official complaint (shown in pic) was made in September 2023 by a Homeopathy practitioner, Mr. ***Singh .. who himself claimed that Homeopathy can cure Covid pandemic."
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He mentioned that the complaint copy was sent to the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, the National President of the ruling BJP, and the National Organizing Secretary of BJP, as well as the Chief Minister of Kerala.
Dr. Philips further highlighted that he was earlier summoned in connection to an investigation into his publications on Ayush's liver injury. "This is not new, I was summoned and had to waste an outpatient day after Kerala Police Commissioner's office started an investigation into my publications on Ayush liver injury, because an Ayurveda practitioner sent a complaint directly to the State Chief Ministers Office," he mentioned.
He alleged that such "petty, frivolous and trash complaints to the higher offices from people bent over to the ruling regime, are entertained without in depth review, and end up being investigated for no actual reasons, just for harassing anyone who speaks the truth."
"I am a medical science communicator and my work, research and public health activities also include educating public on unscientific practices such as Ayurveda/ Homeopathy. If this is what a doctor like me, who has good support, has to face here, imagine the plight of others, the common people, the ones without the support or strength?" he questioned and further expressed his frustration over the matter by adding that "Being Indian is a punishment for them."
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that last year, Dr. Philips posted some serious accusations against an Ayurvedic company in a new thread on 'X' in which he claimed that a patient developed chronic liver disease after consuming their supplements.
