Indian police arrest fake doctor linked to seven deaths

Indian police have arrested a man accused of impersonating a prominent London-based cardiologist, following an investigation into the deaths of seven patients.

The individual, who practised at the private Mission Hospital in Madhya Pradesh, is facing charges of cheating and forgery, according to police superintendent Shrutkirti Somvanshi, Caliber.Az reports per Indian media.

The suspect, who identified himself as "Narendra John Camm"—a name matching that on the hospital’s website—was arrested after authorities discovered his documents were fraudulent. A photograph published in local media showed him with bleached yellow hair.

The arrest comes shortly after the National Human Rights Commission initiated a probe into the deaths of seven patients, all of whom had undergone angioplasty procedures under the care of the arrested man.

Local reports suggest that the man had posed as a well-known British cardiologist, John Camm, an emeritus professor of clinical cardiology at St George’s University of London. However, there is no suggestion that the real Dr. Camm was involved in any wrongdoing.

Dr. Camm expressed his distress over the situation, stating that the impersonator had previously claimed to be either him or someone trained by him at St George’s Hospital in London. He noted that attempts to stop the fraudster had been made by both himself and colleagues over the past five years.

The case came to light after the family of one deceased patient filed a complaint, with the son of the late woman, Nabi Qureshi, alleging that the doctor had disappeared after her death.

Madhya Pradesh’s Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla has promised severe action against the suspect if he is found guilty, while local authorities continue to crack down on the issue of fake doctors, which has been a growing concern, particularly in rural regions of India.

By Aghakazim Guliyev