Perambalur, Tamil Nadu – In a startling case of medical fraud, a 62-year-old woman with no formal medical education has been arrested for posing as a doctor and running an illegal clinic from a rented house in Alathur taluk’s Irur Road.
The accused, identified as V. Muthulakshmi from Murugoor in Thuraiyur, had reportedly studied only up to Class 12 but had been running a full-fledged clinic for several years, prescribing medicines and treating patients without any medical license or qualification.
The case came to light after health department officials received a tip-off about suspicious medical activity in the area. Acting on the information, Perambalur Joint Director of Health Services Dr. K. Marimuthu conducted a surprise inspection of the premises. The inspection confirmed that Muthulakshmi had been treating rural patients and dispensing medications without any formal medical training.
Following Dr. Marimuthu’s complaint, the Padalur police registered a case and arrested the accused. The clinic has since been sealed, and authorities are continuing their investigation to determine how long the illegal operation had been running and how many people may have been affected.
“This is a grave violation of medical ethics and a public health risk. Appropriate legal action has been initiated,” said a senior health official involved in the investigation.
This incident is not an isolated case. Medical Dialogues previously reported a similar arrest in Delhi where a 48-year-old woman, who only studied till Class 12, was found impersonating a gynecologist using a fake BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) degree. She had been on the run for nine years after a botched surgery resulted in the death of a pregnant woman in 2009.
Authorities have urged the public to verify the credentials of medical practitioners and report any suspicious medical activity to the local health department
