E-Paper
Dentist, wife booked in Manchar for illegal medical practice
The deception came to light after a complaint received from a patient by the THO and Panchayat Samiti, Ambegaon
A dentist and his wife have been booked for illegal medical practice by the Manchar police. The wife was found treating patients despite having no medical qualifications or registration with the medical council while the husband, a qualified dentist, was found supporting her illegal practice for financial gain. An offence has been registered against the couple on Wednesday, following a written complaint from the taluka health officer (THO) of Manchar tehsil.
The accused couple – identified as Dr Harish Khamkar and his wife Deepmala Khamkar – have been practising at Harirup Dental Care, Manchar, since 2019. They have been booked under section 33 of the Maharashtra Medical Practitioners Act 1961 (which prohibits medical practice by unregistered persons) and sections 318, 319 and others of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, the Manchar police said.
The couple was booked following a written complaint from the THO of Manchar tehsil, Dr Chandrakant Chapate, on behalf of the health department. As per the complaint, the deception came to light after a complaint received from a patient by the THO and Panchayat Samiti, Ambegaon.
“The patient visited the dental clinic run by the couple on November 19, 2024 for dental treatment. Deepmala Khamkar treated him without possessing any valid medical degree and charged him ₹1,200 for the treatment. Besides, he was prescribed medicines and screening tests were carried out by her,” informed Dr Chapate.
“After the treatment, the patient developed health issues and filed a complaint with us. A four-member committee was appointed to conduct the probe, and visited the clinic on November 28. During the investigation, it was found that Deepmala did not possess any valid medical degree or registration certificate. She showed us an original certificate indicating she had completed nursing education (ANM) from the Maharashtra Nursing Council, Mumbai. However, this certificate is not valid for practising medicine under the MMP Act 1961,” said Dr Chapate.
After further investigation, the THO filed a complaint against the couple with the Manchar police station. Senior police inspector Shrikant Kankal, attached to the Manchar police station, said that the complaint was filed by the THO based upon which, the couple has been booked. “The investigation is underway, and further action will be decided after the probe is completed. No arrests have been made,” Kankal said.
