JOIN USA joint operation by the police, Indian Medical Association and the Department of Health and Family Welfare led to arrest of nine fake doctors in the city on Saturday.
Acting on complaints by the public, a team led by Dr Bhaktavatsalam, District Health and Family Welfare and members of the IMA district unit raided the clinics of fake doctors across the city and in Chintamani.
Samajapathi, a Bengal-based ‘doctor’ who claimed to treat piles, was unable to produce any documents to substantiate his medical qualification. The police took him to custody immediately and closed his clinic.
Shashikala was found treating patients without any qualification in medicine at Simon Clinic.
So was the case with M A Jayarani at Kavita Clinic. Mahabala, Alexander, Muralimohan, Ramachandra, Murali and Shouman too were arrested on similar charges, police said.
Murali, who runs a clinic on Nandi Cross, got wind of the arrests and attempted to flee. In his attempt to avoid arrest, Murali rode his two-wheeler on narrow lanes, with the IMA members chasing him in a car. The police succeeded in intercepting the fleeing ‘doctor’ and arrested him.
Huge quantity of medicines, medical equipment have been seized from the arrested.
Similar raids were conducted in Chintamani too. However, many fake doctors, who got wind of the operation in Chikkaballapur, had closed their clinics.
“The operation was conducted in view of repeated complaints by the people against fake doctors. We will take up the exercise at regular intervals henceforth,” Dr Bhaktavatsalam said.