Court Orders Investigation into Fraudulent Medical Practice
Jabalpur: A local court has ordered an FIR against a man who posed as a doctor, secured a government job at Jabalpur’s Govt Victoria Hospital, and treated patients for a year using forged medical credentials. Authorities are now tracing his past patients to assess any potential harm caused by his fake medical practice.
Fake Credentials and Fraudulent Registration
The accused, Shubham Awasthi, allegedly submitted a falsified Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) degree from Rani Durgavati University to secure his position. He also claimed to have a registration number (56970) with the Madhya Pradesh Ayurveda and Unani Medical System and Naturopathy Board, Bhopal. However, police discovered that this registration actually belonged to Dr. Iram Jahan Mansoori. Additionally, Awasthi allegedly forged a Master of Alternative System of Medicine certificate.
Using these fake documents, he managed to obtain a salaried position at the government hospital, posing a serious risk to public health.
Legal Action and Court Intervention
Complainant Shaineindra Bari reported the fraud to local authorities and police, but no action was initially taken. He then approached the district court, where Judicial Magistrate Palak Srivastava reviewed the evidence and ordered the Civil Lines police station to register an FIR against Awasthi for fraud, forgery, and violations under the Madhya Pradesh Medical Council Act. The police have been directed to submit an investigation report by April 5.
Authorities Now Tracing Affected Patients
In response to the court’s directive, the administration is identifying and reaching out to patients treated by Awasthi to determine any medical harm caused during his fraudulent tenure.
This incident has raised serious concerns about verification processes for medical professionals in government hospitals, prompting authorities to strengthen background checks for healthcare recruits.
