Surat: Special operations group (SOG) sleuths arrested two men for allegedly practising medicine without qualifications and operating clinics in Pandesara, seizing medicines and medical equipment during raids conducted in the presence of district health officials.The action was carried out on Wednesday after inspector Atul Sonara and his team received intelligence about unlawful medical practices in the area.Acting on the tip-off, the SOG raided an unnamed clinic in Jagdamba Industrial Estate, where Surendra Shah (46), a native of Bihar, was allegedly found practising as a doctor. Police seized medicines, injections, syrups, syringes and medical equipment worth Rs 19,000 from the clinic.Shah told police that he had previously worked as a compounder for a doctor in Dindoli. Investigators said he had been operating the clinic for the past four years.In a second raid, police reached Mamta Clinic in Vadod village, which was being run by Ramkrupal Vishwakarma (54), a native of Uttar Pradesh. Police seized medicines, injections, syrups and other medical equipment from the premises. The total value of items seized from both clinics was estimated at Rs 28,000.According to police, Vishwakarma worked at a private hospital in UP and, after gaining experience in dispensing medicines for common ailments, moved to Surat around eight years ago and started the clinic.The raids were conducted in the presence of medical officials from the Surat district panchayat. When asked to produce valid medical degrees and licences, both men allegedly failed to do so.Pandesara police have registered cases against the two accused under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Gujarat Medical Practitioners Act.
