Despite repeated cases of medical negligence coming to light, the Delhi police has failed to take action against about 250 quacks practicing in the city.
The Delhi Medical Council (DMC) has, between 2012 and 2016, asked the police to register cases against more than 400 'doctors' who are quacks and are prohibited from practicing allopathy. However, the police has managed to register FIRs in just 145 cases, DMC data till October revealed. As a result, about 250 quacks are still believed to be practicing in the city.
The medical council says that it has registered criminal cases against 183 medical practitioners in the Capital. "It is extremely important to register an FIR in these cases as quacks start practicing under different names or at different places. They tend to operate again from their respective areas due to the lack of proper action taken against them," said Dr Girish Tyagi, DMC Registrar.
In one such case, DMC received a complaint against Dr Dina Nath Yadav who was practicing allopathy in Kapashera, in south-west Delhi. Outside his clinic, a certificate from the Indian Board of Alternative Medicine is only display. DMC issued a show-cause notice to Yadav. An FIR was supposed to be registered against the doctor.
While the process took a few months, the council soon received another complaint against Dr Yadav. During an investigation, it was revealed that Yadav had changed his name to Dr DN Yadav and was operating from some other place in the same locality.
"These quacks find new ways to start their practice again. They put the lives of people at risk," said Dr Tyagi.
According to the official process, the DMC issues a show-cause notice to the doctor and registers a complaint with the police in the wake of an objection that is found to be true. The DMC, however, has alleged that laxity on the part of enforcement agencies, and the absence of strict punishment, has led to a spurt in the number of quacks practising as qualified doctors in the city.
"In 99 per cent of the cases, the Drug Controller Officer does not accompany the team during raids. The medicine should also be seized as samples can be checked later. If the quack prescribed the wrong medicine to patients, he/she will then be booked under more serious acts," said Dr Tyagi.
When contacted, Delhi police spokesperson refused to comment.
In 2014, the Delhi High Court had ruled that at least one raid should be conducted in each of the 11 districts in the city every month. The court, before passing the judgment, had asked the police and the Delhi government to form guidelines against quacks. The fresh guidelines state that if DMC receives a complaint, it must verify doctors' credentials within 72 hours.
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