'Fake' certificates: MMC summons 53 doctors for questioning

The Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) has summoned 53 doctors for questioning, amid the allegations that they procured fake passing certificates for the additional degree courses of the College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPS), a top office-bearer of the MMC said today.

The MMMC has already suspended 20 doctors from the same college, after their additional degree certificates were found to be fake, the office-bearer said.

The council had found that the 20 doctors had procured passing certificates despite failing in the exams conducted by the CPS.

"We have decided to dig further into the certificate controversy surrounding the College of Physicians and Surgeons, which offers PG diplomas and fellowships. 53 doctors have been summoned for questioning," Dr Shivkumar Utture, president of the MMC, told PTI.

"We will be verifying their actual score and the certificates issued to them," he said.

The council will hold a hearing in this connection on April 21 in Mumbai.

The 20 doctors, who were suspended in 2016, had registered for the PG diplomas and fellowships with the CPS in 2014-15.

"An MMC probe found that these students managed to procure passing certificates, although everyone of them had failed...It is an insider's job. Someone within the college helped the students get the certificates, as everything on the documents is genuine, such as the emblem, ink, paper and other things," Utture said.

The CPS offers PG diplomas in 26 disciplines, including ophthalmic medicine and surgery, gynaecology and obstetrics, dermatology and venerology, orthopaedics, medical radiology and electrology.

The college came under the radar after some students complained to the MMC about the alleged malpractices in procurement of certificates.

"We were approached by many student groups, who informed us about the alleged malpractices at the college. Hence, we decided to probe it," Utture said.

Thereafter, the MMC wrote an e-mail to the CPS asking for documents about the 20 doctors, who had passed out of it.

After the MMC realised that certificates are fake, they were suspended in 2016.

An FIR was registered against the college at Bhoiwada police station in 2016, he said.