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PMC probes clinical psychologist at Sahyadri Hospitals over fake medical practice
Complaint was lodged by a Pune resident on January 6 alleging that the clinical psychologist falsely represented herself as a qualified medical doctor and treated her for depression and mental health issues without legal authority
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has initiated an inquiry against a female clinical psychologist associated with Sahyadri Hospitals in Shivajinagar, following a complaint by a patient alleging that the doctor continued to treat patients despite being neither qualified nor registered with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC), officials said on Friday.
The complaint was lodged by a Pune resident on January 6 alleging that the clinical psychologist falsely represented herself as a qualified medical doctor and treated her for depression and mental health issues without legal authority.
According to the complaint, the patient/complainant contacted the call centre of Sahyadri Hospitals seeking consultation for mental health concerns and was given an appointment with the said psychologist. The complainant visited the hospital on November 29, 2025, believing the practitioner to be a qualified and registered doctor. The complainant alleged that the consultation involved oral prescription of medicines without any written prescription, dosage chart, treatment notes or medical records.
The complainant further claimed that subsequent verification on the MMC’s official website revealed that the psychologist who allegedly claimed to be a doctor was not registered as a medical practitioner and did not possess any recognised medical qualification. The complainant has alleged impersonation, illegal medical practice, and gross negligence, stating that such treatment could have caused serious harm to her mental health.
The complainant has also alleged that this is not an isolated incident. She claimed that two of her friends independently contacted the hospital call centre and were also given appointments with the same practitioner as ‘doctor’. The complainant has said that she has call recordings and message confirmations to support her claims, indicating that the practitioner was systematically projected as a qualified doctor.
Acting on the complaint, the PMC health department on January 21 wrote to both Sahyadri Hospitals and the clinical psychologist, directing them to cooperate with the investigation. Besides, on Thursday, the civic body also wrote to the complainant requesting that documented evidence be submitted for the probe. The PMC letter sought details regarding the said doctor’s designation, date of appointment, educational qualifications submitted at the time of hiring, and information about her practice at other hospitals or online platforms. The civic body also sought all medical records related to the complainant’s treatment. However, both the hospital and the psychologist requested eight days to submit their response, officials said.
Dr Rajesh Dighe, assistant health officer and in-charge of the PMC’s anti-bogus doctors’ cell, said that during the hospital visit earlier this week, the inquiry team prima facie did not find any written medical records related to the complainant or documents establishing that the clinical psychologist is authorised to practise as a medical doctor. “We have sought a detailed explanation and additional evidence from the complainant. Further action will be taken based on the explanation received and the findings of the ongoing probe,” he said.
Refuting allegations, Sahyadri Hospitals stated: “We have received a letter from the PMC and we are representing our case before the respective authority. We are reviewing the matter in detail and will extend full cooperation to the concerned authority, as required. The staff member works at Sahyadri Hospital as a clinical psychologist. She has neither given treatment to any patient as a doctor nor has she prescribed any medicines at our hospital. Patient safety and ethical medical practices remain our highest priority.”
