Gujarat: 14 fake doctors arrested; they sold degrees for ₹75,000
What's the story
The Gujarat Police has busted a major fake medical degree racket operating out of Surat and arrested 14 people.
The racket, which was active for nearly two decades, sold fake Bachelor of Electro Homeopathic Medicine (BEMS) degrees, per NDTV reported.
The masterminds behind the scheme were identified as Dr. Rasesh Gujarati and Dr. BK Ravat, who sold the fake degrees for ₹70,000-₹75,000 each.
Racket details
Fake degree racket enabled unqualified individuals to practice medicine
The accused duo allowed at least 1,500 unqualified people to work as doctors through their fake degree racket.
The police believe Gujarati and Ravat made over ₹10 crore from the illegal practice.
The racket came to light when police found unqualified practitioners running clinics in Pandesara, Surat.
On investigation, it was found that these practitioners had got their degrees from a non-existent "Board of Electro Homeopathic Medicine" in Ahmedabad.
Evidence found
Raids uncover incriminating evidence, fake degree operation exposed
A raid at Gujarati's residence revealed several incriminating documents.
Further raids at Ravat's office recovered blank degree certificates, pre-filled certificates, application forms, ID cards of quacks, and details of people registered on the racket's website.
The police have registered two FIRs against the accused under sections pertaining to cheating and extortion.
The fake degrees were issued through a website, behmgujarat.com, designed by Gujarati and Ravat to give legitimacy to their operation, according to TOI.
Additional services
Fake degree racket offered 'refresher courses,' legal protection
Apart from selling fake degrees, the accused also offered "refresher courses" on how to deal with legal issues and promised quacks protection from police action for a monthly fee.
Despite offering no medical training, they claimed electro homeopathy is legal by citing court rulings.
The racket also involved forgery for high court bail applications.
Exploitation
Accused exploited legal loophole, offered degrees to class 8 graduates
The main accused discovered there were no regulations for electro-homeopathy in India and he planned to set up a board to offer degrees in the said course.
He hired five people, trained them in electro-homeopathy, and they completed the course in less than three years, training them how to prescribe electro-homeopathy medicines.
When fake doctors learned people were apprehensive toward electro homeopathy, they changed plans and started offering people degrees issued by the Ayush Ministry of Gujarat.