The Economic Offences Wing of the Crime Branch, Kashmir, has filed a chargesheet against a man who reportedly posed as a doctor using falsified medical certifications, exposing a fundamental flaw in the state's healthcare system. The accused, Numan Farooq Wani, had been working at the SKIMS Medical College and Hospital in Bemina since December 2016, receiving a government salary for over seven years.

According to the Crime Branch's official statement, Wani submitted false MBBS and MD degrees along with a forged Medical Council of India (MCI) registration certificate and documents claiming to be from the State Medical Council. Investigators found all these credentials to be fake. A First Information Report (FIR No. 01/2023) was filed against him for cheating, forgery of important documents, and using fake papers as genuine.

The charge sheet has been submitted to the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Srinagar.  After a thorough investigation, it was clearly established that the accused had forged all his academic and registration certificates. “The evidence was strong enough to move forward with formal charges,” a statement from the state authorities said.

The incident has sparked major concerns regarding credential verification procedures in government medical institutes. The fact that a man with no real qualifications could work as a doctor for so long indicates significant administrative carelessness. 

 From a public health perspective, this case is deeply worrying. Unqualified people practicing medicine pose serious risks, including misdiagnosis, improper treatment, and even death. The World Health Organization lists medical errors among the top ten causes of death and disability worldwide, often linked to poor training and fraud.

The case also reveals the lack of effective real-time verification between bodies such as the National Medical Commission (NMC), which replaced the Medical Council of India (MCI) in 2020, and state-run hospitals. Ideally, registration documents should be instantly verifiable through national databases, but this system remains weak or underused.

More broadly, the incident highlights growing concerns about fake doctors and clinics in South Asia. As the legal case moves forward, many in Kashmir’s medical community are calling on the Jammu & Kashmir Health Department to conduct a thorough review of past appointments and improve transparency in the hiring process.