Antiquackery & Vigilance Cell action leads to arrest of 32 fake doctors in 2025

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: Since the formation of the Antiquackery & Vigilance Cell, Assam of Assam Council of Medical Registration under the Directorate of Medical Education, in January 2025 and until December 27, 2025, the actions taken by the Cell has resulted in 32 fake doctors being arrested across the state. Moreover, summonses were served on 14 doctors for unethical practices, and they were warned by the Cell not to continue such activities.

The above information was provided by Dr Abhijit Neog, Antiquackery & Vigilance Officer, to The Sentinel. In a roundup of activities of the Antiquackery & Vigilance Cell since its formation, Dr Neog stated that they had initiated action against ‘quacks’ or fake doctors and unethical practices by doctors (including practising as specialists or without adequate qualifications, etc.).

Until now, the Antiquackery & Vigilance Cell has lodged 54 FIRs, of which 45 were filed against fake doctors at the CID police station in Guwahati. This resulted in 32 arrests of fake doctors across the state. While one such fake doctor secured pre-arrest bail, another applied for anticipatory bail that was rejected by the Gauhati High Court. The anticipatory bail of fake doctor Nabajyoti Dey of Silchar was rejected by the HC on November 4, 2025. However, the Cachar Police has not been successful in arresting him till date.

It needs to be mentioned here that Dr. Abhijit Neog had filed a PIL (No. 34/2023) in the HC,  seeking a direction from the court to order the Health Department to conduct a survey of quacks practicing in Assam and to ensure that they possess requisite qualifications, to establish a help-line and form an anti-quackery unit.

The PIL sought to bring to the notice of the court the serious risk to the life and limb of the residents of the state being caused by a large number of fraudulent persons who are practising as doctors without the requisite and recognized qualifications and without being registered under the Assam Medical Council, the Indian Medical Registry, or the State and Central Register of NCISM (National Council of Indian System of Medicine) as required under Section 34 of the NCISM Act, 2020.

In January 2025, the state government formed the Antiquackery & Vigilance Cell to monitor and take action against fake doctors.

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