Gauhati High Court Directs Assam Govt To Report On Action Taken Against Fake Doctors By Anti-Quackery Units In State
LIVELAW NEWS NETWORK
17 March 2025 2:00 PM
The Gauhati High Court was recently informed that in almost each of the district of the State of Assam, the Anti Quackery Units are already formed and regularly inspecting the clinical establishments in each district.
The division bench of the Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice Kaushik Goswami was hearing a PIL raising the problem of 'quacks' operating in the State of Assam.
Pursuant to the direction given by the Court, the Director of Health Services, Assam filed an affidavit on March 07, 2025 highlighting the action taken in each district of Assam to identify the quacks and the action taken against them.
The Standing Counsel of the Health Department, Assam informed the Court that the Assam Council of Medical Registration has appointed the petitioner (Dr. Abhijit Neog) as Anti Quackery & Vigilance Officer of the Assam Council of Medical Registration for monitoring the Anti Quackery Movements initiated at the instance of the State as well as the Assam Council of Medical Registration. Dr. Neog is presently the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Arya Hospital, Guwahati. He holds an MBBS Degree and had a medical practice of more than 20 years. He has been instrumental in exposing the menace of fake doctors and quacks in Assam.
On the other hand, the Senior Counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted that though as per the affidavit filed on behalf of the Director of Health Services, Assam, some action has been taken against the quacks operating in each district of the State of Assam, however, the speed by which the inspection of the clinical establishments is carried out by the Anti Quackery Units is not satisfactory.
The Court directed the State of Assam to file the latest factual report regarding the action taken against the quacks by the Anti Quackery Units and further directed the petitioner to file the action taken against the quacks by him after his appointment as Anti Quackery & Vigilance Officer by the Assam Council of Medical Registration, by the next date.
The Court directed to list the PIL again in the third week of July.
Case Title: Dr. Abhijit Neog v. Union of India & 10 Ors.
Case No.: PIL/34/2023