Medical body summons 53 doctors for questioning in fake certificate scam

The Maharashtra Medical Council had already suspended 20 doctors from the College of Physicians and Surgeons for procuring fake passing certificates for additional degree courses.

The Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) has summoned 53 doctors for questioning, amid allegations that they procured fake passing certificates for additional degree courses in the College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPS), a top office-bearer of MMC said on Wednesday.

Maharashtra Medical Council believes the fake certificate scam is an inside job since everything on the documents is genuine, such as emblem, ink, paper, etc.(Photo for representation)

The MMC has already suspended 20 doctors from the college, after their additional degree certificates were found to be fake, the office-bearer said. The council had found that the 20 doctors had procured passing certificates despite failing in the exams conducted by CPS.

“We have decided to dig further into the certificate controversy surrounding the CPS, which offers PG diplomas and fellowships. A total of 53 doctors have been summoned for questioning,” MMC president Dr Shivkumar Utture told PTI. “We will be verifying their actual score and the certificates issued to them.”

The council will hold a hearing in this connection on April 21 in Mumbai. The 20 doctors, who were suspended in 2016, had registered for the PG diplomas and fellowships with the CPS in 2014-15.

“It is an insider’s job. Someone within the college helped the students get the certificates, as everything on the documents is genuine, such as emblem, ink, paper and other things,” Utture said.

CPS offers PG diplomas in 26 disciplines, including ophthalmic medicine and surgery, gynaecology and obstetrics, dermatology and venerology, orthopaedics, medical radiology and electrology.

The college came under the radar after some students complained to the MMC about alleged malpractices in procurement of certificates. Thereafter, the MMC wrote an e-mail to CPS asking for documents about the 20 doctors, who had passed out of it.

After the MMC realised that certificates are fake, they were suspended in 2016. An FIR was registered against the college at Bhoiwada police station in 2016, he said.