6 quacks arrested in Gurgaon after search operations; used syringes, steroids seized

As many as six ‘fake’ doctors practising in private clinics in Shakti Park, Shivaji Park, Khadirpur and nearby places in Sector 10 and Shivaji Nagar in Gurgaon were arrested on Tuesday after a massive search operation in the area by the CID and health department.

A team of three doctors and a drugs control officer combed the entire area and found as many as eight suspicious medical practitioners. Two of them were later let off after they produced valid degrees and registration documents.

The remaining six, all of whom had their own private clinics, were arrested. They were identified as Brij Kishore Yadav, Mukti Lal, Bharat Singh Yadav, VN Thakur, Sonu Sharma and Dhirendra Prasad.

The first three were practising in Gali no 1 in Shakti Park while Sonu Sharma and VN Thakur had clinics in Shivaji Park. Prasad was duping people at his clinic on Kadipur Road, police said.

“They were prescribing allopathic medicines, administering injections, steroids and drugs without having a valid degree or expertise. They were looting the public and playing with the health of thousands of people,” Dr Vijay Kumar, deputy civil surgeon.

He also prepared a ‘spot memo’ — a report against the doctors — at the Shivaji Nagar police station.

A team of three doctors and a drugs control officer combed the entire area and found as many as eight suspicious medical practitioners. Two of them were later let off after they produced valid degrees and registration documents. (Sanjeev Verma/HT PHOTO)

The team, headed by Dr Kumar, seized all medicines in these clinics. The officials claimed to have “found used syringes, empty trails of injections and allopathic drugs” from the clinics.

“We received information from the civil surgeon that many quacks were practising in the area. We conducted several searches throughout the day and arrested six persons, who claimed to be doctors,” Amandeep Chauhan, drugs control officer said.

Chief medical officer BK Rajora said his office had received information about fake practitioners in Sector 10 and Shivaji Nagar.

“We, along with the CID, conducted searches and found six persons who claimed to be doctors,” he said.

Dr Sudhir Kumar, medical officer of Sector 10, who was also a part of the team, said that he was shocked to find used syringes at these clinics.

“They might have been reusing syringes. They were playing with the lives of the people as they were prescribing medicines and steroids without having any knowledge about them,” Dr Sudhir said.

Dr Kumar said these fake doctors had no valid medical degree — they merely had certificates which “even a class 12 graduate could get easily”.

The team made efforts to gather witnesses but “no one came forward”.

“When we searched their clinics, there were patients there and a huge crowd had gathered. But when it came to giving statements against them, no one came forward,” the drugs control officer said.

Three FIRs have been filed in Shivaji Nagar police station and three in Sector 10 police station. All FIRs have been filed under IPC section 420 (fraud), Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, and Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

The CMO said that such drives against fake practitioners would continue in the coming days.