GUWAHATI: The Assam police arrested a fake doctor after he allegedly handled several pregnancy cases and performed more than 50 caesarean sections for a decade.
The accused, Pulak Malakar, hails from southern Assam’s Barak Valley. The locals knew him as an obstetrician and gynaecologist. He practised at a private hospital in Silchar of Cachar district.
According to reports, Malakar worked as a fourth-grade employee in various hospitals prior to becoming a doctor with a forged MBBS certificate, allegedly obtained from a racket by shelling out a huge amount of money.
The accused was arrested two days ago. He was produced in a local court and it sent him to a six-day police remand. Senior Superintendent of Police Numal Mahatta told the media the police had received inputs about the man treating patients by using a fake degree.
A resultant investigation revealed his certificate from a government medical college in Odisha was forged.
“During the course of investigation, we learnt that he had been working in Silchar since 2016 using a fake medical degree. A case was registered against him with the Sadar Police Station, Silchar under relevant sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita,” the SP said.
He suspected that the racket selling fake MBBS certificates was operating from the Barak Valley. He warned that the police would dig deep and arrest all those involved in it.
In January this year, the Assam government formed an ‘anti-quackery and vigilance cell,’ a special unit that works in tandem with the police. Several arrests involving fake doctors and quacks were made in following months.
The state Assembly had in February last year, passed ‘The Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024, 'criminalising non-scientific' magical healing’ practices conducted by individuals with malicious intent.
The Bill aims to bring social awakening in society and create healthy, science-based knowledge and a safe environment to protect human health against the evil and sinister practices thriving on ignorance and the ill-health of people.