MBBS with Forged Marksheet: Ahmedabad 'Doctor' Gets Jail after 44 Years
Ahmedabad: A Gujarat-based doctor has recently been sentenced to three years in jail for securing MBBS admission with forged Class 12 marksheet around 44 years ago.
Although he originally scored 49% in the Class 12 Board exams and was ineligible for medical admission, he allegedly forged his marksheet claiming to score 68% to secure medical admission.
The matter came for consideration before the Court based on a complaint filed back in 1991. Around 10 years ago in 2014, the metropolitan court framed charges against the doctor and put him on trial for cheating, forgery and theft.
Finally, on Monday, the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate P N Naveen completed the trial and convicted the doctor of cheating and forgery.
As per the latest media report by the Times of India, the doctor passed his Class 12 board exams with 398 out of 800 marks back in 1980. Since he scored only 49%, he was ineligible to get admitted to medical course. Thereafter he got another marksheet after applying for re-checking of his marks.
The Daily adds that he allegedly forged his marksheet showing that he secured 547 marks i.e.68% marks in the Class 12 Board exams. Following this, he applied for MBBS admission and consequently, was granted a seat at BJ Medical College.
Meanwhile, the Gujarat Secondary Education Board learned about the marksheet of the concerned doctor and wrote to the medical college saying that there was no change in his marks. It was mentioned that the doctor had allegedly secured the seat based on a forged document after getting his hands on a blank letterhead and marksheet from the board's office.
Consequently, the medical college issued notice to the doctor and asked to submit his reply as to why his admission should not be cancelled. As soon as it was established that his marksheet was forged, the college filed a complaint in 1991 at Shahibaug police station. Back in 2014, the metropolitan court framed the charged for cheating, forgery and theft. Although the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate has convicted him of cheating and forgery, the accused has been acquitted of theft.
The daily adds that the counsel for the accused argued that he should not be jailed and sought leniency and benefits under Probation of Offenders Act. The counsel argued that the doctor in question is a medical practitioner and serves the society by running a clinic in the city. He committed the offence when he was only 17 years old and he is now 60 and has a family.
On the other hand, the prosecution demanded that the maximum punishment t permissible under the law, seven years. It was argued by the prosecution that if those associated with medical profession behave in this manner, it will motivate others to commit similar kind of offences.
After considering the arguments, the judge has sentenced the accused to jail term for three years. He has also been fined Rs 30,000. The court observed that the accused had been ineligible for medical admission but cornered someone else's MBBS seat using the bogus marksheet, noting it to be an act against the society.
Observing that the court is duty bound to ensure that others do not repeat such an offence, the court also cancelled the bail bonds of the accused.
