Rajkot: The Gujarat Medical Council has suspended the medical licence of Dr. Manoj Sida, a doctor at Samarpan Hospital in Rajkot, following allegations of his involvement in a ₹40 lakh insurance fraud. The suspension comes in response to accusations that Dr. Sida issued fabricated medical reports as part of the fraudulent claim.
The allegations were brought forward by Rashmikant Patel, Managing Director of Phoenix Assurance, a third-party auditing agency, who reported that Dr. Sida, along with Dr. Mehul Solanki of the same hospital, had issued misleading medical documentation to facilitate the fraud.
After reviewing the complaint, the Council convened on April 11 and decided to suspend Dr. Sida’s licence until he appears before the committee for further inquiry. He has been barred from practicing medicine in Gujarat and instructed to surrender his registration certificate to the Council.
Earlier this month, Rajkot police arrested five individuals in connection with the case, including Mayur Chhuchhar, who allegedly staged a claim for ₹40 lakh under a health insurance policy by fabricating a paralysis diagnosis. His physiotherapist, Dr. Ankit Kathrani, was arrested for allegedly helping with the creation of false documents. Other arrests included hospital employee Bhavik Makad, lab technician Hitesh Ravaiya, and Himanshu Rathod.
The fraudulent claim was uncovered when insurance investigators noticed discrepancies in the medical reports, such as a radiology report with an unsigned signature. Chhuchhar was later seen operating a tea stall and riding a motorcycle, contradicting his claim of being paralyzed. The incident, which occurred in 2024, led to a formal FIR being filed at Gandhigram police station earlier this month.
