Police have registered a cheating case against an alleged bogus doctor, who had also served as Bharatiya Janata Party Jabalpur medical cell's co-convener, after a complaint that he worked in a government hospital in Jabalpur on a fake degree, officials said.
The case against Shubham Awasthi was registered on April 5, two days before the arrest of another "fake" cardiologist who practised at a Missionary Hospital in Madhya Pradesh's Damoh district.
As per a complaint filed with the National Human Rights Commission, seven heart patients treated by him have died.
In the other case in Jabalpur, police filed the FIR against Awasthi following a court order.
"An FIR of cheating has been registered against Shubham Awasthi, who has been accused of using a fake Ayush degree and working in government-run Seth Govind Das District Hospital Jabalpur (formerly known as Victoria Hospital). The case was registered on the basis of the court order," Civil Lines police station inspector Nehru Singh Khandate told PTI on Monday.
The case is under investigation, he added.
When contacted, BJP's Jabalpur city chief Ratnesh Sonkar said action will be taken against Awasthi as per the party guidelines after they get an official confirmation of the case.
"After coming to know about the incident this (Monday) morning via a media report, I have personally sought authentic details of the case. The BJP doesn't tolerate such things...1001 per cent action will be taken," he said.
The ruling party admitted the bogus physician was associated with it, but was removed from his post two years ago.
"Yes, he was BJP Jabalpur district medical cell co-convenor. He was relieved from the post two years ago following some accusations against him," state BJP's media cell co-convenor and dentist Ashwini Trivedi said.
When contacted, the complainant in the case, Shailendra Bari, said, "I learnt about Shubham Awasthi working in the district hospital on a bogus ayurvedic doctor (with Ayush) degree for one year in 2020-21 from a friend who was admitted to the hospital."
"My friend, who is no more, heard some doctors talking about a black sheep in their flock. Thereafter, I sought his educational documents under the Right to Information Act (RTI)," he added.
After getting to know of this development, Awasthi (40) resigned from the hospital, Bari said.
"On receipt of Awasthi's educational documents, I applied under the RTI to the university and government ayurvedic college to know the duration of his studies. Both the university and the college replied no such student had been to their institute," he said.
Bari said he subsequently lodged a police complaint, but no action was taken.
"Later, I filed a complaint in the district court for action against Awasthi," he said.
The court of Judicial Magistrate First Class on February 14 directed the Civil Lines police station to take up investigation into the matter, he added.
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