Metro Hospital Under Criminal Probe; 73 Fraudulent Certificates Cancelled
Hyderabad: In a major crackdown on medical document fraud, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has launched criminal proceedings against Metro Hospital in Tolichowki, after uncovering a scam involving the unauthorised issuance of 65 birth certificates and eight death certificates.
The fraudulent activity came to light following an alert triggered by a suspicious property transfer based on a fake death certificate. A joint investigation by GHMC officials and local police traced the document to Metro Hospital, which was officially non-operational at the time the certificates were issued.
Defunct Hospital Exploited Certificate Reissuance Loophole
Despite being shut down, Metro Hospital’s name had remained on GHMC’s centralized portal to facilitate reissuance of lost certificates, a standard administrative provision. However, GHMC officials revealed that the hospital exploited this system loophole and continued issuing certificates in violation of protocol.
“We keep the hospital’s name in the list even after it is shut down to allow reissuance of old documents. This hospital misused that access,” a senior GHMC official told The Hindu.
Swift Action Taken: Hospital Login Disabled, License Under Review
Following the revelations, GHMC disabled the hospital’s portal access, cancelled all 73 fraudulent certificates, and recommended cancellation of the hospital’s registration. The medical license of the involved doctor has also been flagged for disciplinary action.
Wider Crackdown: False Home Births Also Under Investigation
In a separate case, GHMC has filed charges against several registrars and health personnel after detecting fake home birth entries. A suo motu investigation revealed at least four cases of fictitious home births, including three in Falaknuma and one in the Malakpet circle.
The health assistant responsible has been dismissed, and criminal cases have been filed against parents, neighbors, and advocates who allegedly vouched for the fake births. GHMC also found that 38 out of 74 home births were registered through Shishu Vihar, a facility for orphaned children. Upon verification, four of those entries were deemed invalid and have been cancelled.
Tighter Verification Measures Ahead
GHMC officials have vowed to tighten verification protocols across all health facilities and registrar offices to prevent recurrence of such incidents. They stressed that while the centralized system allows flexibility for reissuance, loopholes must be carefully monitored.
This crackdown highlights the growing concern over misuse of medical documentation, particularly in relation to legal and property matters, and reinforces the need for robust digital safeguards and regulatory oversight in municipal health administration.
