A doctor in Assam has had his medical registration permanently cancelled after an inquiry by the Assam Council of Medical Registration (ACMR) found that he allegedly used forged Class XII certificates to secure admission to a medical university in Ukraine more than two decades ago before practising medicine in the state for nearly 10 years.
The action followed a public complaint questioning the authenticity of his educational qualifications while he was practising as a medicine specialist in Tinsukia. After reviewing court records and findings from its Anti-quackery and Vigilance Officer, the ACMR ordered the permanent removal of his name from the register of registered medical practitioners with immediate effect.
As reported by TOI, the ACMR mentioned that, Pankaj Goel, a permanent resident of Guwahati, allegedly forged Class XII pass certificates purportedly issued by the then Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC) and B. Borooah College to gain admission to Kharkiv State Medical University, Ukraine.
Council records state that he studied general medicine at the university from 1995 to 2001, earning an MD (Physician) qualification, which is considered equivalent to an MBBS degree.
The ACMR stated that Goel was convicted by the Delhi High Court in 2017 for using forged Class XII documents to obtain the Ukrainian medical degree.
According to the council's findings, he informed the court that he was no longer practising as a doctor. However, the ACMR stated that he had already initiated the process of obtaining registration with the council in 2016, allegedly without disclosing details of the criminal proceedings. He subsequently practised as a medicine specialist in Tinsukia for nearly a decade.
The case came under scrutiny after a public complaint questioned the authenticity of Goel's educational credentials.
An inquiry conducted by Dr. Abhijit Neog, Anti-quackery and Vigilance Officer of the ACMR, sought verification from the Assam State School Education Board, Division II, formerly known as the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council.
According to the board's communication to the investigating officer, Goel appeared for the Higher Secondary Examination (Science stream) in 1994 from B. Borooah College but failed the examination.
The board further informed the ACMR that the Class XII certificate submitted by Goel was counterfeit.
During its meeting on July 7, the ACMR reviewed certified copies of the orders issued by the Delhi High Court, the Court of the Metropolitan Magistrate, Tis Hazari Courts, and the findings submitted by its Anti-quackery and Vigilance Officer.
The council observed that Goel had secured admission to the Faculty of General Medicine at Kharkiv State Medical University using forged educational certificates.
Invoking Section 23(1) of the Assam Medical Council Act, 1999 (as amended), the ACMR ordered the permanent removal of his name from the register of registered medical practitioners with immediate effect.
The council also directed him to surrender his registration certificate.
(Rh/ARC/MSM)