Surat police arrest 16 alleged fake doctors in Gujarat

Authorities in Surat, Gujarat, have arrested 16 individuals for allegedly practicing medicine without valid qualifications. The arrests followed a coordinated operation by the Surat City Special Operations Group (SOG) and the district health department in the Pandesara industrial area.

To verify reports of unqualified practitioners, police utilized decoy patients to inspect various establishments. The raids targeted clinics such as Bharat Clinic, Sai Dham Clinic, and Free Seva Sadan. Investigators found that the accused, aged between 23 and 58, possessed educational backgrounds ranging from Class 10 to bachelor’s degrees, but lacked recognized medical credentials. Some had previously worked as hospital compounders or assistants.

The investigation revealed that some practitioners had been operating for decades. One individual, Kapilkumar Verma, allegedly operated clinics for 33 years despite having only a Class 10 education. Daily earnings for the practitioners reportedly ranged from Rs 700 to Rs 40,000.

During the raids, police seized medical equipment, medicines, and injections valued at approximately Rs 1.82 lakh. Officials noted that patients, including migrant laborers, were being treated in unhygienic conditions, sometimes receiving intravenous fluids on ordinary wooden cots.