BMC Launches Fresh Credential Audit Across Municipal Hospitals Following Alleged Fake Doctor Controversy
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has directed a fresh verification of the academic qualifications, medical registrations, and professional credentials of doctors working across all its hospitals after the alleged fake doctor controversy at V.N. Desai Hospital sparked a heated discussion during the civic body’s General Body meeting.
The issue gained attention after allegations surfaced that an MBBS graduate from Russia had allegedly worked in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of V.N. Desai Hospital in Santacruz without obtaining mandatory registration from the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC).
The matter was raised by Leader of the Opposition Kishori Pednekar, while Congress group leader Ashraf Azmi questioned the civic health administration over the appointment of allegedly unqualified doctors in BMC hospitals.
State Human Rights Commission Seeks Action Taken Report
The renewed scrutiny comes after the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) issued a fresh notice to the Municipal Commissioner and the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone VIII), seeking details of the action taken against the accused doctor.
Earlier, the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) had also issued notices to the BMC Commissioner and Mumbai Police following complaints that the doctor allegedly practised in civic hospitals, including Jogeshwari Trauma Hospital, despite lacking valid MMC registration.
Opposition Demands Accountability
During the General Body meeting, Ashraf Azmi alleged that although the doctor was barred from V.N. Desai Hospital after discrepancies in his registration came to light, he subsequently continued working at Jogeshwari Trauma Care Hospital and allegedly received a salary of nearly ₹2.5 lakh. He termed the latest SHRC notice a serious indictment of the functioning of the civic Health Department.
Former Health Committee Chairperson Dr. Archana Bhalerao called for stricter verification procedures, stating that foreign medical graduates should be allowed to practise in municipal hospitals only after obtaining valid registration from the National Medical Commission (NMC) and other competent regulatory authorities. She also sought action against both unregistered doctors and the agencies responsible for appointing them.
BMC Blacklists Contractor, Stops Payments
Responding to the allegations, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburbs) Dr. Vipin Sharma informed the House that ICU doctor services in BMC hospitals, including V.N. Desai Hospital, had been outsourced through tenders between 2018 and 2024.
He stated that all ICU services are now being operated directly by the BMC. Sharma further revealed that Sai Sanjeevani Polyclinic and Nursing Home, the contractor responsible for supplying doctors, was blacklisted in 2024 after the issue surfaced, and all payments to the agency were stopped.
According to him, the accused doctor had never obtained MMC registration, while verification of doctors’ qualifications and registrations was the contractual responsibility of the agency under the tender terms.
Fresh Verification Ordered Across Civic Hospitals
Following the debate, the BMC administration instructed all hospital deans and medical superintendents to conduct a fresh verification of doctors’ educational qualifications, registrations, and professional credentials across municipal healthcare facilities.
The move aims to strengthen patient safety, improve regulatory compliance, and prevent the appointment of unqualified medical professionals in civic hospitals in the future.
