Berhampur police in Odisha arrested a man on Monday for allegedly posing as a specialist doctor at AIIMS, New Delhi and running clinics at multiple locations in the state for months without authorised medical degrees. The accused has been identified as Subhrajit Panda, 29, a native of Sanda village under Parajang police limits in Dhenkanal district. Panda, who has a Master’s degree in microbiology, was also arrested by Chilkalguda police station in Telangana in February 2020 and was in jail for 15 days for attending a doctors’ meeting by posing as a member of the World Health Organization (WHO). Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M said the accused was caught red-handed at Dengausta near Digapahandi in Ganjam district, where he had been treating patients for the last six months. He was visiting clinics in Dengausta and Aska in Ganjam twice a month for the last six months and running a clinic in Cuttack for the past one and a half years. “After receiving reliable information, we sent a police officer in civil attire to track his activities and tour schedule. We arrested him red-handed from his clinic on Monday. A raid was conducted at his rented house at Nuabazar in Cuttack and at a clinic in the Ranihat area from where letter pad and medicines were seized,” SP Vivek said. The accused, who posed as a renowned doctor, was treating patients who suffered from ortho and spinal problems. He also issued prescriptions using a letter pad which showed qualifications from Germany as a specialised physician of orthopaedic and spinal surgery, said police sources, adding that Panda was not registered as a qualified doctor as per the Orissa Medical Registration Act, 1961. The police started tracking Panda’s activities after receiving a complaint from Simanchal Sahu, whose mother Kumudini was treated at Panda’s clinic for a fracture of the wrist joint, but her condition deteriorated following faulty diagnosis and treatment. “On verification, the medical qualification specified by the accused doctor was found to be fake. The prescription given to Kumudini has also been seized. We are investigating the involvement of others in the case. Action will be taken accordingly,” the Berhampur SP said. While in police custody, the accused told reporters that he has adequate knowledge of various medicines. The accused has been arrested under sections 419 (cheating by personation), 420 (cheating and dishonesty), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using a forged document as genuine) and 170 (personating a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code. Panda has also been charged under section 33 of the Orissa Medical Registration Act and section 16 of the Orissa Clinical Registration Act.
