Digapahandi: In a shocking incident, police have arrested a man for fraudulently identifying himself as a doctor and treating patients at a clinic without any authorised degree in Sanakhemundi block of Odisha's Ganjam district.

The accused was identified as Subhrajit Panda of Sandha village in Parjang block of Dhenkanal district.

He was nabbed after one Simanchal Sahu of Chanameri village filed a complaint against him with Digapahandi police.

As per reports, the complainant had taken his ailing mother to the accused doctor's clinic where she was administered some injections and medications by him. However, the drugs reacted adversely and she became critical. The patient was then taken to MKCG hospital in Berhampur where, after preliminary treatment, she was referred to AIIMS Bhubaneswar due to her deteriorating condition.

Acting on the complaint, police registered a case and raided the said clinic, the accused doctor's residence and his parental home in Dhenkanal. Probe revealed that Panda had studied only upto Plus II and was illegally running a health facility named 'Ashok Clinic'  in Dengausta village in Ganjam since the last six years by falsely claiming to be a specialist doctor from Delhi AIIMS. He was reportedly charging Rs 300 for five minutes

"During investigation, police recovered several fake medical certificates of the doctor from various colleges along with other documents. The accused has been arrested and will be produced in court today," informed Digapahandi IIC Dipti Ranjan Behera.

In 2020, Panda had been arrested by Telangana police for falsely claiming to be a member of World Health Organisation.