‘Don’t call us bogus doctors, police have defamed us’

The members have demanded that Mumbai Police retract the FIR against them and clarify the criteria of a bogus doctor, before making arrests

The Kandivli Ayush Doctors Association Mumbai (KADAM) had called for a half-day bandh of all clinics in the north region after five doctors were arrested by the Crime Branch on Saturday, for allegedly running a clinic without a valid degree. The members have demanded that Mumbai Police retract the FIR against them and clarify the criteria of a bogus doctor, before making arrests based on the tip-offs by the informers.

According to the association, the doctors are certified by the Maharashtra Council of Homeopathy and had worked day and night during the pandemic. "We have established trust in the locality after years of practice. The police and the medical officer have no right to arrest us before checking our credentials, hampering our career and practice," said Dr Abdul Salam Khan, a member of the association. Khan added, "If the government wants, then all of us registered doctors are ready to give a copy of our certificate to the concerned department, but we should not be humiliated in this way."

‘We were treated like criminals'

The association members assembled at the Laljipada police station, Kandivli West, on Tuesday, and met Guardian Minister Aslam Shaikh, MP Gopal Shethy, local MLA Yogesh Sagar, corportor Kamlesh Yadav, along with the medical officer of the R/South ward. They submitted a memorandum and discussed the unfair action.

Another doctor, Sarvesh Yadav, 31, said, "We were treated like criminals, kept in the clinic for more than 16 hours. Police personnel accompanied us even to the washrooms. The blood pressure measurement instrument and the stethoscope along with the medicines were also seized from the clinic and taken away by the officers."

Another doctor accused in the case, Dr Sapna Yadav, said, "I have a BHMS degree from a medical college in Nashik and have been running a clinic in Goregaon for the past seven years. Our image has been spoiled due to fake allegations made by the police. We have been defamed and many are now calling us fake."

‘Are other medical courses valid?'

Dr Om Yadav, also accused in the case, said, "By taking up a certificate course in modern pharmacology, a BHMS doctor can practise and give allopathic medicine to patients. But it has limited seats in Maharashtra; only around 750 doctors get admission in a year. After completing a one-year course, the doctor is allowed to practise allopathy."

Yadav, who has been running his clinic for the past 17 years in Goregaon, added, "There are 70,000 to 80,000 doctors registered by the Maharashtra Homeopathic Council for this course. The other doctors have to wait for their registration. Not everyone can do MBBS, so other candidates take up BHMS and other medical courses like BUMS and BAMS. What message do we want to send to the future generations? Shouldn't they take up these courses?"

Dr Chhotelal Yadav, another accused, said, "Most of the doctors working in the ICUs of all small and big hospitals are either BHMS, BAMS or BUMS. Will the government now close these hospitals and call them fake doctors?"

He added, "Hundreds of doctors have worked day and night during the pandemic at all COVID-19 centres across the state. Even today, many BHMS, BAMS, BUMS doctors are working. But now, the government has to decide the definitions of a real doctor and a fake doctor."

Dr KV Kotian, the president of the association, said, "We are not stopping the police from taking action. They can check the clinic, if there is any discrepancy, then call them for investigation. But not arrest and defame them in such a manner."