Over 965 fake doctors traced in K'taka in 1.5 years, with highest numbers in Bidar, Kolar, Tumakuru
Bengaluru: In the past one and half years, Karnataka’s health department has traced and taken action against 967 individuals posing as doctors.
According to state health department data, as cited by Deccan Herald on Monday, at least 967 quacks or fake doctors have been found operating throughout the state between September 2023 and January 2025.
The district health and family welfare officers have served notices to 449 fake doctors, closed 228 fake clinics, seized 167 more clinics, and imposed penalties on 96 people as of February 2025. Additionally, more than 70 cases have been filed in various district courts.
Among the districts with the highest number of fake doctors are Bidar (213), Kolar (115), and Tumakuru (112). Dr Vivek Dorai, the deputy director of the state health department, noted that these districts, being border areas, make it easier for individuals from neighbouring states to set up temporary practices. These regions also lack the concentration of health facilities seen in Bengaluru, which contributes to the higher numbers.
“Health officers are also overburdened; they cannot check every establishment in Bengaluru but in other districts, where the total number of establishments is lesser, it's easier to conduct inspections," Dr Dorai was quoted as saying by DH.
Fake doctors include those who are unqualified, those who might be qualified but not registered and recognised under the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (KPME) Act, added the report. This category also includes individuals practicing medicine outside their trained field, such as cross practice, and those who do not comply with KPME regulations.
Dr Dorai, who oversees Medical Acts in Karnataka, mentioned that the health department also classifies practitioners who follow familial traditions without formal degrees or training, as well as those practicing acupuncture and other forms of traditional medicine that are not regulated by a board or council as fake under the Act.
He further explained that some individuals who work as support staff, such as D-group employees, may later set up their own practices after forging documents or obtaining a general degree from a small institution.
Severe violations, such as unqualified quack performing procedures that result in complications or death, can result in fines of up to Rs 1 lakh and imprisonment for up to three years.
For unregistered practitioners, penalties usually involve fines rather than jail time. Dr Dorai noted that while the Act provides guidelines for action, decisions are often made on a case-by-case basis, and accused can appeal the decision in the high court.
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Screenwriter Salim Khan on ventilator support and stable, say doctors
Mumbai (PTI): Veteran screenwriter Salim Khan suffered a brain haemorrhage which has been tackled, is on ventilator support as a safeguard and stable, doctors treating him said on Wednesday, a day after he was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital here.
The 90-year-old, one half of the celebrated Salim-Javed duo which scripted films such as "Sholay", "Deewar" and "Don" with Javed Akhtar, is in the ICU and recovery might take some time given his age.
"His blood pressure was high for which we treated him and we had to put him on a ventilator because we wanted to do certain investigations. Now the ventilator was put as a safeguard so that his situation doesn't get worse. So it is not that he is critical," Dr Jalil Parkar told reporters.
"We did the investigations that were required and today we have done a small procedure on him, I will not go into the details. The procedure done is called DSA (digital subtraction angiography). The procedure has been accomplished, he is fine and stable and shifted back to ICU. By tomorrow, we hope to get him off the ventilator. All in all, he is doing quite well," he added.
Asked whether he suffered a brain haemorrhage, the doctor said, "Unko thoda haemorrhage hua tha, which we’ve tackled. No surgery is required.
As concern over Khan's health mounted, his children, including superstar Salman Khan and Arbaaz Khan, daughter Alvira, and sons-in-law Atul Agnihotri and Aayush Sharma, have been seen outside the hospital along with other well-wishers. His long-time partner Akhtar was also seen coming out of the hospital.
Khan, a household name in the 70s and 80s, turned 90 on November 24 last year. It was the day Dharmendra, the star of many of his films, including "Sholay", "Seeta aur Geeta" and "Yaadon Ki Baraat", passed away.
Hailing from an affluent family in Indore, Khan arrived in Mumbai in his 20s with dreams of stardom. He was good looking and confident he would make a mark in the industry as an actor. But that did not happen. And then, after struggling for close to a decade and getting confined to small roles in films, he changed lanes.
He worked as an assistant to Abrar Alvi and soon met Akhtar to form one of Hindi cinema's most formidable writing partnerships. They worked together on two dozen movies with most of them achieving blockbuster status.
Other than "Sholay", "Deewar" and "Don", Khan and Akhtar also penned "Trishul", "Zanjeer", "Seeta Aur Geeta", "Haathi Mere Saathi", "Yaadon Ki Baarat" and "Mr India".
