Pune: FIR against 3 'fake' doctors for using prefix Dr sans registration with medical council

In the first case, an FIR has been lodged at Vishrambaug police station against a couple, who were running a facility called Niramaya Wellness Centre in Narayan Peth. One of the accused doctors posted a video about COVID-19 on social media. During the quarterly meeting of the cell, it was observed that the doctors were not registered with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC), but she was found using the prefix doctor (Dr) against her name in the video, reports the daily.

Authorities took note of the viral video, and a team of medical experts investigated the clinics. According to the daily, the cell members spotted an information booklet where the accused added his name with the prefix Doctor. Similarly, her partner also had no registration with the MMC yet but printed Dr. before his name.

The team secured all the booklets from the site and sent those along with other documents to the PMC legal department for further action. After the legal department gave its confirmation, an FIR was filed. The couple has been booked under relevant sections of the Maharashtra Medical Practitioners Act, 1961.

However, the couple claimed that they have completed the Diploma in Naturopathy (ND) and MD in alternative Medicines from Nature Cure Institute, Nashik and the course is a valid and certified course that is authorized and affiliated by the Indian Board of Naturopathy and Open International University of Medicina alternative.

" We have successfully treated more than 1 lakh patients in last 11 years without medicine or touching the patients just by working on energy healing of the patient. We basically don't give any medicine so we do not fall under this category", a female doctor told the daily.

The accused have affirmed that people practicing naturopathy can use the prefix doctors along with their names and they should not be treated as bogus doctors. " There is less awareness about the same. Unfortunately, there is no council for naturopathy practitioners and we are working towards forming the same so others don't face a similar inconvenience", the doctor further added.

In the second case, a 40-year-old woman was booked by the Chandan Nagar police after authorities found that the person was using the " Dr " prefix though he had no qualification to practice medicine. This came after the civic body received a complaint stating that the accused doctor was running a facility at her Janseva Clinic in Thite Vasti, Kharadi though she had no proper qualification to practice medicine.

When the team investigated her clinic, they found that the BEMS degree holder was using Dr with her name. She was claiming to be a Bachelor of Electro-homeopathy Medicine and Surgery (BEMS) on her letter pad. However, she allegedly also ran a second clinic at Mohammadwadi in Hadapsar for which she purchased allopathic medicines and injections.

Senior police inspector (SPI), Vijay Tikole, attached to Vishrambaug police station, told the daily, "A complaint has been registered by the PMC against the couple. Based on the evidence and documents provided by the civic authorities, we have booked them under relevant sections. Further investigations are going on."

SPI Ram Jadhav, attached to the Chandan Nagar Police station, mentioned, "As per the complaint lodged by the municipal corporation, Anita has been booked under sections 33 and 36 (prohibition of medical practice by persons not registered) of the Maharashtra Medical Practitioners Act, 1961. The police are conducting further investigations."

PMC assistant health chief Dr. Kalpana Baliwant, the head of the anti-bogus doctors' cell, informed that all the three accused claimed themselves to be Naturopathy doctors and experts.

"There is a list of 19 colleges in the country that run a certified five-and-a-half year's course. Students completing a course from these institutes can use the doctor prefix. Rest all are bogus doctors if they are not certified and use the prefix as doctors. The FIR has been filed against them under relevant sections and provisions of the law. Complaints have been filed post the investigations by the anti-bogus doctors' cell," Dr. Kalpana told Pune Mirror.

She further informed that before the FIRs were filed, the health department consulted the PMC legal department. "We went ahead and registered the complaints only after the approval of the legal department."