₹ 70,000 for Fake Medical Degrees: 14 Arrested in Gujarat

Surat, Gujarat: Gujarat Police have uncovered a massive fake medical degree racket, arresting 14 individuals who were practicing as doctors with fraudulent credentials. The main accused, Dr. Ramesh Gujarati, and several associates were detained following a raid that exposed the extent of the scam.

The gang operated under the guise of the "Board of Electro Homoeopathic Medicine (BEHM) Gujarat," offering fake medical degrees for ₹ 70,000, even to individuals with minimal education. Authorities seized hundreds of counterfeit certificates, applications, and stamps from their possession. The gang is reported to have maintained a database of 1,200 fake degrees.

Investigations revealed that the accused exploited the lack of regulations surrounding electro-homoeopathy in India. They initially trained individuals in this field but later falsely claimed ties to Gujarat's Ayush Ministry. Certificates issued by BEHM falsely authorized recipients to practice allopathy, homoeopathy, and other forms of medicine.

Fake doctors were required to renew their certificates annually, with fees ranging from ₹ 5,000 to ₹ 15,000. Those unable to pay faced threats from the gang, police said. Two members, Shobhit and Irfan, were additionally implicated in financial fraud.

Police and revenue department officials raided clinics run by suspects, uncovering widespread malpractice. This operation marks a significant step toward cracking down on fraudulent medical practices in the region.