After nearly a decade of evading the law, a woman accused of practicing medicine without qualifications was arrested by the Delhi Police in Uttam Nagar. Originally from Gaya, Bihar, she had been  allegedly operating an illegal clinic in Ranihata, West Bengal, under the name "Dr Kiran", using a forged Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) degree.

Her arrest is linked to the 2008 death of a female patient, reportedly caused by negligent treatment at her unauthorised clinic. The victim, a middle-aged woman suffering from abdominal pain, had visited the clinic seeking relief but died shortly after receiving an injection. Locals said she had no prior major health issues. The tragedy sparked an investigation by the Ranihata police, after which the accused disappeared and assumed a false identity.

According to the Delhi Police, she was found working in a private pathology lab under an alias. Her identity was confirmed through police records and local informant reports. During interrogation, she confessed to forging her medical credentials and admitted she had only studied up to Class 12.

Investigators said she took advantage of weak oversight in rural healthcare systems to set up her practice. Despite regulations from the Medical Council of India (MCI) that require practitioners to be registered and properly qualified, enforcement in remote regions remains poor.

A 2016 World Health Organisation (WHO) report estimated that nearly 57% of individuals practising allopathic medicine—conventional or mainstream medical practice—in India lacked formal medical degrees. The scarcity of licensed doctors in rural areas allows unqualified individuals to step into roles of authority, often with fatal consequences.

This case is not isolated. In 2022, Bihar authorities shut down over 600 unauthorised clinics and diagnostic centres during a statewide crackdown on healthcare fraud.

The accused has been handed over to West Bengal Police and faces multiple charges, including fraud, impersonation, and causing death by negligence, under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

A senior official from the National Health Mission, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “There’s a failure of both preventive and punitive systems. The combination of demand-supply mismatch and weak regulation allows such cases to persist.”

Speaking to Drug Today Medical Times, Dr Abhijit Neog, Anti-Quackery & Vigilance Officer at the Assam Council of Medical Registration (ACMR), said, “The pressing need of the hour is to amend and strengthen anti-quackery laws in India. Since their inception in 1956, these laws have failed to save countless lives due to inadequate enforcement and outdated provisions.”

Adding that while minor revisions have been made over the years—such as adjustments to timelines, Dr Neog added, “The quantum of punishment has remained largely unchanged, rendering the laws ineffective in curbing quackery.”

Pointing out that the Supreme Court of India has, however, provided clarity on this issue almost three decades ago, Dr Neog said, “The apex court categorically defined what constitutes quackery. This was further reinforced in another significant ruling on May 10, 1996, which reiterated the definition and underscored the urgency of addressing this menace. Additionally, a Madras High Court order in 2022 aligns with these verdicts, emphasising the need for action.”

Despite these judicial pronouncements—spanning nearly three decades—little has changed on the ground, says Dr Neog. “

"The question remains: what is preventing the legislature and authorities from enacting stringent laws and exemplary punishments to tackle quackery effectively?" Dr Neog asked.

This incident reveals deep flaws in India’s healthcare regulation—especially in rural areas where checks are minimal and accountability is lacking. Fake degrees, unchecked practices, and institutional gaps make it dangerously easy to impersonate a medical professional.

To prevent such tragedies, regulatory authorities must implement mandatory digital verification of medical degrees, conduct regular audits of rural clinics, and establish whistleblower incentives to report unlicensed practice.

The government must also accelerate the rollout of the National Medical Register and ensure public access to verified practitioner data. Only then can patients' trust be restored and lives better protected from avoidable harm disguised as care. The gap between judicial intent and legislative action is glaring, and it continues to cost lives. Immediate reform is not just necessary—it is overdue.