Bogus Doctor Menace: 343 Offences Registered In 2023 And 2024, Says Maha Minister

(MENAFN- IANS) Mumbai, July 7 (IANS) Maharashtra's Minister for Medical Education, Hasan Mushrif, on Monday informed the State Legislative Council that the government is taking strict measures to curb the growing menace of bogus doctors.

A total of 343 offences were registered across the state in 2023 and 2024 -- 178 in 2023 and 165 in 2024, he said.

In a written reply to a question raised by Shiv Sena legislator Kripal Tumane, the Minister stated that 121 of these cases are currently pending in court, while police investigations are underway in the remaining cases.

Referring to a recent incident in Khambala village of Chandrapur district where an 11-year-old girl died allegedly after treatment by a fake doctor, Mushrif said an FIR has been lodged against the accused for practicing medicine without a valid medical qualification or government approval.

To tackle the issue systematically, the government has set up dedicated search committees at the district, taluka, municipal council, and municipal corporation levels.

Additionally, district-level committees chaired by the District Magistrate have been constituted to take preventive and legal action against such unauthorised practitioners, he said.

The Minister said that specific guidelines and advisories have been issued under Sections 33, 33(A), and 38 of the Maharashtra Medical Practitioners (Amendment) Act, 1961, to empower local authorities to initiate action.

He also noted that police are regularly filing reports on action taken as part of the government's crackdown on bogus medical practice.

In a separate written response to a question by BJP legislator Chitra Wagh, Mushrif said that the government has also prepared a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to prevent incidents of newborn theft or kidnapping from government-run medical colleges and hostels across the state.

The SOP will be implemented soon, the Minister assured. He highlighted a recent case in Miraj where swift police action led to the recovery of a kidnapped newborn from a government medical college within three days, and the baby was safely reunited with the mother.

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