Mumbai : A fake orthopaedic surgeon who duped patients at several prominent private hospitals in Mumbai’s western suburbs has been arrested and sent to judicial custody, police confirmed.
The accused, who had no valid medical degree, practised medicine using forged credentials, endangering patients’ lives, threatening individuals, and fraudulently obtaining official identification documents, including an Aadhaar card, voter ID, and passport. Alarmingly, despite being under investigation since 2015, he managed to continue his illegal activities undetected.
The fraud came to light after a complaint was filed by Avinash Suresh Saminder, a 24-year-old food delivery worker from Chembur. Saminder, who had been suffering from a chronic spine condition, consulted the fake doctor on November 19, 2024, after discovering him online. Instead of providing proper medical care, the accused downplayed the severity of Saminder’s condition, prescribing only painkillers and exercises, which led to a worsening of his health.
Suspicions grew when Saminder’s friend, Ashok Kabale, warned him about the doctor’s shady background. Investigations revealed that the accused had misused the long-vacated Juhu residential address of Prithviraj Ratanlal Bhatia to forge identification documents. Verification with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) confirmed that the accused’s medical credentials had been under scrutiny since 2015.
Following this revelation, Saminder approached the Worli police, leading to the arrest. Senior Inspector Ravindra Katkar confirmed the developments and stated that the investigation is ongoing.
This case echoes wider concerns about fake medical practitioners posing grave threats to public health, especially with recent similar incidents emerging internationally.
