Quack held in Daund: ₹6.54 lakh in medicines, cash seized from illegal clinic
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
A fake doctor allegedly running an unlicensed clinic in Kasurdi village of Daund, Maharashtra was arrested on Thursday, 28 May, with police recovering allopathic medicines, injections, and cash totalling ₹6.54 lakh from his premises. The accused had no valid medical degree, no registration with the Maharashtra Medical Council, and no licence to sell medicines, according to police.
Who Was Arrested
The accused, identified as Omprakash Bansilal Swarnkar, had allegedly set up an illegal clinic in the Akhadevasti area of Kasurdi village in the Yavat jurisdiction. He is originally a resident of Sadar Bazaar in Hurda tehsil of Bhilwara district, Rajasthan — raising questions about how long he had been operating in the area without detection.
What Was Seized
A police raid on the clinic uncovered a substantial cache of medical supplies. Recovered items included allopathic medicines from Cipla, Intas, and Leeford, 381 suspicious unlabelled bottles, syringes, and ₹85,100 in cash. A Honda City car (registration GJ 15 CM 8453) parked outside the clinic was also seized; additional medicine stock was found inside the vehicle.
How the Case Was Registered
The complaint was filed by Dr Ashish Shankar Shirase of the Primary Health Centre in the Khamgaon area of Daund. A case has been registered against Swarnkar under Section 319(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 and Sections 33(1) and 33(2) of the Medical Practice Act, 1961. Preliminary investigation indicates the accused was misleading patients and endangering lives. The Yavat police are continuing their probe.
A Wider Pattern of Medical Fraud
This arrest is not an isolated incident. In a separate case in Madhya Pradesh's Damoh, three individuals allegedly posing as doctors at Sanjeevani Clinics — operating under the National Health Mission — were apprehended after a report from the office of the Chief Medical and Health Officer reached the Kotwali police station on 16 May. Two of the accused, Kumar Sachin Yadav of Gwalior and Rajpal Gaur of Sehore, had allegedly submitted forged MBBS degrees and fabricated Medical Council registration certificates to secure appointments. The pattern of unqualified practitioners exploiting rural and semi-urban healthcare gaps is drawing increasing scrutiny from law enforcement.