Assam Crackdown on Quacks: 4 Fake Doctors Held in 72 Hours

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: In a shocking turn of events, as many as four quacks, or fake medical practitioners, were apprehended from Jorhat and Nagaon in the past 72 hours in the state. Two quacks were arrested in Jorhat and the remaining two from Nagaon district.

The individuals posing as fake doctors from Assam's Jorhat have been identified as Amar Jyoti Nath (38), a resident of Bahona Tiniali, Jorhat, and Ashok Kumar Gogoi (46), residing at Jail Road, Samannay Path, Jorhat.

Meanwhile, the other two arrested individuals have been identified as Bimal Sutradhar of Juria and Pankaj Das of Sekoni Tea Estate at Jakhalabandha, both in the Nagaon district. The accused, identified as Bimal Sutradhar, had been operating from Mahmuda Medical Hall in Dagaon under Juria PS. Another quack, identified as Abdul Wahid of Doboka in the Nagaon district, is absconding. A search is on to apprehend the quack on the run.

Following an intense Assam police action, the four individuals were apprehended by the police. This action was swiftly initiated after complaints were submitted by Dr. Abhijit Neog, Anti-Quackery & Anti-Vigilance Officer of the Assam Council of Medical Registration.

In 2023, Dr. Abhijit Neog filed a petition (PIL 34/2023) in the Gauhati High Court urging action against the rampant rise of fake medical practitioners across the state. Subsequently, a division bench of the HC directed the Director of the Health Services, Assam, to file the latest factual report regarding the action taken against the quacks by the Anti-Quackery Units.

Earlier, pursuant to the direction given by this court, the Director of Health Services, Assam, had filed an affidavit on March 7, highlighting the action taken in each district of Assam to identify the quacks and the action taken against them. It is mentioned in the said affidavit that in almost each of the districts, the Anti-Quackery Units are already formed, and they are regularly inspecting the clinical establishments in each district.

Speaking on the subject today, Dr. Abhijit Neog told The Sentinel, "Since January this year, when we formed the Anti-Quackery Unit, we have lodged 13 FIRs against quacks. Acting on the FIRs, the police have apprehended 10 such individuals from different places. Besides the 10 arrested, an investigation is going on against two, and one is absconding. In the past 72 hours, four quacks were arrested from different places in the Jorhat and Nagaon districts. It is noteworthy that since 2018, a total of 46 quacks have been arrested in the state."

Dr. Abhijit Neog reiterated their commitment to strict action against quackery and urged citizens to report any suspicious and illegal medical practices in their locality.

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