Two men impersonating qualified medical professionals were arrested separately in Assam’s Cachar district on Monday, following complaints filed by the Assam Council of Medical Registration (ACMR).
According to Cachar SSP Numal Mahatta, the accused are Pankaj Chaudhary, a resident of Silchar, who falsely claimed to be a senior gastroenterologist and diabetologist, and Subhir Choudhury, from Kalain, who posed as an MBBS doctor.
Pankaj allegedly issued prescriptions, displayed professional signboards, and represented himself with fraudulent qualifications such as MBBS, MD, Post Graduate Teacher of gastroenterology, and international fellowships. However, his medical registration number—24147—actually belongs to a different Dr. Pankaj Chaudhary from Uttar Pradesh with verified credentials.
During a raid on Monday evening, police detained Pankaj from a private clinic in Silchar. Investigators found multiple fake PAN and Aadhaar cards in different names linked to him. Efforts to confirm his identity with family members in Kolkata proved unsuccessful.
He was arrested under various sections of the National Medical Commission Act, the Assam Medical Council Act, and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita for cheating, forgery, and impersonation.
Subhir was apprehended while treating a patient at Basanti Pharmacy in Kalain. Investigations revealed he had no recognized medical qualifications despite practicing for a long time.
These arrests are part of a recent crackdown by Assam’s Anti-Quackery and Vigilance Cell, established in January 2025 after the Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024 was enacted. Cachar district has seen six fake doctors arrested in the last two weeks alone.
