Berhampur: Police arrested a 31-year-old man from West Bengal for allegedly operating an unauthorized clinic and performing surgeries without medical qualifications in Berhampur’s Mitra Street. The accused, Utpal Bala from Tinna Netajipalli in West Bengal’s Hooghly district, had been running the illegal clinic since 2019, specializing in treatments of piles and sexual diseases. He charged patients up to Rs 12,000 for surgical procedures.
SP (Berhampur) Saravana Vivek M said police seized various medical equipment, surgical instruments, medicines, empty containers, and forged medical documents from the clinic. “The accused, who failed in Class VIII, earlier worked as a hotel boy in Visakhapatnam from 2016 to 2019 before setting up the clinic in Berhampur,” the SP added.
Despite lacking medical credentials, Bala advertised himself as “Dr. Utpal Bala” on signboards and documents. His fraudulent activities came to light when a 23-year-old patient from Kotagarh complained about unsuccessful treatment and was asked to pay an additional Rs 12,000.
Police have registered an FIR against Bala under various sections of the BNS and Orissa Clinical Establishment (Control and Regulation) Act 1991. Investigators believe numerous patients might have fallen victim to his deceptive practices. The case highlights the ongoing challenge of unauthorized medical practitioners in the region and the need for increased vigilance against such fraudulent activities.