Kolkata, 15 September (H.S.): A war of words has intensified between former Bengal Medical Council president Sudipta Roy and the Association for Protection of Health and Nature (APHN) over the registration of fake doctors and action against them in West Bengal. APHN secretary Rajib Pandey has levelled serious allegations against Roy, while the latter has rejected the charges and highlighted the action taken against fake doctors during his tenure.

Roy said that during his tenure, he had personally ordered an investigation through the Deputy Inspector General of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which led to the arrest of around 200 fake doctors. He claimed that such action had been taken only during his tenure as council president.

“I hate such activities,” Roy said.

APHN has alleged that Roy had visited the council office last Monday with the intention of destroying documents. Rejecting the allegation, Roy said the present office-bearers had assumed charge in November 2022 and questioned why they were being linked to events that had taken place a year earlier.

Roy also questioned how the council could have acted if no complaint had been lodged with it. He categorically denied any attempt to remove documents, saying that electronic copies of every document were available.

Roy further alleged that people associated with Pandey may themselves have removed documents from the council. He questioned how information concerning the documents could have surfaced outside before the council office became aware of it.

Responding to Roy’s allegations, Pandey said the council belonged to all doctors and that there was no difficulty for them in visiting its office. He pointed out that government-nominated members were also part of the present council and demanded that Roy answer the questions being raised by the APHN.

Pandey also pointed out that several of the doctors whose registrations are under scrutiny were registered in 2023, 2024 and 2025, when Roy was the president of the council. He said Roy should therefore clarify the circumstances surrounding those registrations.

According to the APHN, five cases involving fake doctors have come to light so far. Pandey expressed hope that the state government would conduct a comprehensive investigation to determine the actual number of fake doctors operating in West Bengal beyond the cases that have already surfaced.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh