Pune: Taking action against a fake doctor, the Khadki Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Court has sentenced a 34-year-old man to two years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 for practising medicine without a valid degree.

The action was taken after the accused, a resident of Dhanori, originally from West Bengal was found guilty of treating patients without proper medical qualifications. He was allegedly duping patients by prescribing medicines at his clinic.

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A detailed chargesheet was submitted before the court by Assistant Police Inspector Suryakant Marude, who led the investigation in this regard. The charge sheet included evidence and testimonies regarding the incident, The Bridge Chronicle reports.

Taking note of the incident, the court convicted him. Magistrate L.V. Shrikhande handed over the sentence and also said that the accused would have to serve an additional 15 days of imprisonment if he failed to pay the fine.

The case came to light after the Pune Municipal Corporation’s health department received a tip-off about the accused and accordingly initiated an investigation into his unauthorized practice. A raid was carried out at his unlicensed clinic which led to the cover of a large stock of medicines.

Later, the medicines were seized, and Dr Rekha Umesh Galande, a medical officer, formally lodged a complaint with the Vishrantwadi Police, leading to the accused arrest.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that intensifying its search for fake doctors, the Telangana Medical Council recently cracked a whip on ten fake doctors and two Ayurvedic doctors practising allopathy during their inspection in different areas in the state. The council is going to file FIRs in connection accordingly.

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