He religiously came to the hospital,every day. Wearing a lab coat and a stethoscope around his neck,he introduced himself as a senior surgeon. His pleasing smile and personality helped him win the trust of many patients and doctors in RML Hospital,until one day,a fellow doctor grew suspicious and checked his particulars. To the doctors amazement,he found that the man he knew as a senior surgeon,who goes around prescribing medicines and referring patients to doctors,did not exist in the hospital records. The doctor then contacted the police,after which the senior surgeon was arrested. Harish Goswami (40),later told police that he took to the crime as he always aspired to become a surgeon. He failed his medical entrance exams but could not give up his dream to become a doctor and,hence,decided to this duplicity. He wanted to become a doctor,but could not succeed. He did his graduation through correspondence. He projected himself as a doctor in public,Additional Commissioner of Police (New Delhi),KC Dwiwedi said. To further establish his identity,Goswami stole blank ID cards of AIIMS Hospital from its Administrative department and placed his photo and fake stamp and signatures there,said police. He also opened bank accounts and got his election ID made in the name of Dr Harish Goswami, a police officer said. The complainant,a Senior Orthopaedician at RML,told police that Goswami befriended many doctors there and won their sympathy saying his grandmother has been seriously ill. On the pretext of treating her,he took a loan of Rs 15,000 from the complainant. After a few days he again borrowed Rs 5,000 again from the complainant and also from two other doctors. When Goswami failed to show up after taking the money,the doctor got suspicious and checked his credentials with the RML Hospital,AIIMS and the Delhi Medical Council. He found out that Dr Harish Goswami does not exist and an FIR was lodged in the matter, the officer said. He used to move around all major hospitals,including AIIMS,Safdarjung,RML. To avoid being caught,he used to change hospitals frequently, Dwiwedi said. The police are identifying the doctors cheated by Goswami.
