Staff Reporter
Guwahati: Subsequent to Gauhati High Court asking the Anti-quackery and Vigilance Officer, Assam Council of Medical Registration (ACMR), to bring on record the steps taken by the Anti-quackery and Vigilance Cell and seeking suggestions from him for identifying quacks in the state, the Vigilance Officer, Dr. Abhijit Neog, also the petitioner in a public litigation case (PIL/34/2023), recently submitted an affidavit with the afore-mentioned information.
On the activities of the Anti-quackery and Vigilance Cell, I. Chowdhury, Senior Advocate for the petitioner, Dr Neog, submitted before the bench of Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Arun Dev Choudhury that after his appointment as Anti-quackery and Vigilance Officer, ACMR, the Anti-quackery and Vigilance Cell has identified as many as 47 such quacks. Also that FIRs have been lodged against most of the identified quacks and some of them have been arrested as well.
The petitioner’s counsel informed the court that the Anti-quackery Units constituted in all the districts are also operating under the supervision of the Director of Health Services, Assam, about which the petitioner has no clear idea.
Chowdhury, on behalf of the petitioner, flagged a few suggestions for controlling quackery in the State of Assam. These suggestions include creation of a Central Monitoring and Coordinating Committee for overseeing the functioning of the various Quackery Units in the districts. Suggestions have also been made for the composition of such Central Monitoring and Coordinating Committee. It has been suggested that it would be better if the Committee, referred to above, would include Director of Health Services, the Registrar of the ACMR, Registrar of the State Council of Indian Medicines (SCIM), or any Officer deputed by the Directorate of Ayush, Assam, a Police Officer and if possible, a few representatives of the recognized bodies of Medical Professionals, like Indian Medical Association (IMA) and some Law Officers as well.
Other suggestions made in the affidavit include allotment of a toll free Helpline Number for reporting the presence of quacks; creation of an online database of doctors registered with the ACMR and creation of another Anti-quackery Cell under the Home and Political Department modelled on the lines of Cyber Crime Cell, Narcotic Cell, Vigilance & A.C. Wing, Women and Child Helpline Cell etc. with specially trained officers.
B. Gogoi, Additional Advocate General, Assam, then submitted that though all efforts have been made to control quackery in Assam, the suggestions given by the petitioner would be considered and if necessary, incorporated in the measures which are being undertaken by the State towards that goal of controlling quackery in Assam. He further submitted that he would find out the sequel action in cases of such quacks, whether they are reneging to the old practice of quackery after their release on bail. He further submitted that the possibility of a statutory framework for controlling quackery also would be contemplated at the level of the Government and that it shall be communicated to this Bench forthwith if it happens. Even otherwise, with these measures and incorporated suggestions in place, the menace would be curbed to a large extent, and this petition could then be closed, he noted.
The court adjourned the case to March 12, 2026, while anticipating the Government’s final response to the suggestions made in the petitioner’s affidavit.
Also read: Assam: Quack arrested by Sonai Police; 22nd this year