Bhopal/Damoh, May 17 : A major and shocking fraud involving the healthcare system has come to light in Madhya Pradesh's Damoh, where three alleged doctors employed at "Sanjeevani Clinics", operated under the National Health Mission, have been apprehended by the police, officials said.

Earlier, a doctor N John Cam was apprehended by the police for forging a cardiology post-graduate degree and performing surgery on innocent patients in Damoh.

The individuals were found to be working on the basis of forged MBBS degrees and fraudulent Medical Council registrations, police said on Sunday.

The revelation of this case has sent shockwaves through the Health Department and the administrative machinery alike.

Investigations conducted by the Kotwali police revealed that the accused had been posing as doctors and treating patients at government health centres for nearly a year.

The police suspect that this case is not limited to just these three individuals, but rather suggests a vast network involving forged degrees and fraudulent appointments that may extend across the entire state.

According to the police, on May 16, the Kotwali police station received an investigative report from the office of the Chief Medical and Health Officer.

The report said that Kumar Sachin Yadav, a resident of Gwalior; and Rajpal Gaur, a resident of Sehore, had submitted forged and fabricated MBBS degrees, Medical Council registration certificates, and other educational documents to secure appointments at the Sanjeevani Clinic located in Subhash Colony of Damoh.

During the verification of these documents, several discrepancies and suspicious details were identified.

Consequently, the police registered separate cases against both accused individuals and initiated legal proceedings.

Subsequent interrogation and document verification confirmed that the certificates submitted by both individuals were indeed forged.

The investigation also revealed that both accused had been providing government healthcare services while posing as doctors for nearly a year.

During this period, they treated numerous unsuspecting patients.

Officials have said that this constitutes not merely an act of fraud, but a grave endangerment to the health and lives of the general public.

According to police officials, had this matter not come to light in a timely manner, this fraudulent scheme would have continued for a much longer duration.

During the interrogation of the two accused, the name of Ajay Maurya, who was employed in Jabalpur, surfaced.

The police received information indicating that he was also working at a Sanjeevani facility on the basis of forged documents.

Acting swiftly, the police team immediately took him into custody as well.

The police are now questioning all three accused to ascertain who provided them with the forged degrees and registration documents.

Police officials have emphasised that this case is extremely serious and sensitive, given that Sanjeevani Clinics are directly involved in providing medical treatment and healthcare services to the general public.

The Kotwali Police Station has registered a case against the accused under Sections 318, 338, 336, and 340 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

In this context, the fact that fake doctors were posted in government hospitals raises serious questions about the entire system. The police are now searching for those individuals involved in procuring fake degrees, medical registrations, and other documents, as well as in facilitating these appointments.

The investigation into the matter is ongoing, and the police claim that further major revelations regarding this widespread fraud may emerge in the coming days as the network is uncovered.

/IANS