The police investigation is focused on establishing the full scale of Biswajit Prafulla Haldar’s alleged medical practice, including the number of patients he treated. (Photo: Special arrangement)For nearly 15 years, patients walked into a clinic in one of Vadodara’s posh areas, believing they were seeing a doctor. The police now say the man behind the prescription pad had studied only up to Class 10. Biswajit Prafulla Haldar’s cover began to unravel when patients started wondering why his medicines were not working. Whispers turned into a tip-off, and the police walked into the 45-year-old’s clinic on Wednesday, arresting him for allegedly running Promila Clinic without a valid medical degree or registration.The Vadodara City Police’s Local Crime Branch, Zone-2, conducted the raid in the presence of a medical officer. They allegedly found that the set-up had all the outward signs of a functioning neighbourhood clinic, with Haldar allegedly prescribing allopathic medicines and even administering injections.The police seized 38 bottles of cough syrup valued at around Rs 41,000, 162 injections, 281 medicine strips, 84 tubes, 30 powdered medicines, 32 capsules, nine intravenous fluid bottles and 19 infusion sets, among other material.“Locals had been talking about this doctor, and questioning how his medicines did not work well… He had a high number of patients coming to him daily and even earned more than some of the actual doctors in the city. Based on the tip-off, the LCB team raided the clinic and found that he had a bogus medical certificate,” Manjita Vanzara, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone 2, Vadodara City, told The Indian Express.Also Read | Promised one bride, married to another: Not ‘looteri dulhan gang’ says Gujarat HC granting bail to marriage bureau operatorVanzara said the man had worked as a helper in a doctor’s clinic in West Bengal before moving to Vadodara about 15 years ago, where he allegedly posed as a doctor and began running a clinic in Akota.“He has studied up to Class 10. He lived alone here and mostly had patients from the lower middle class coming to him…He may have picked up knowledge about commonly used medicines while working for the doctor as a helper. No one seems to have checked his certificates during these years… He was arrested and granted bail as per law,” Vanzara added.The investigation is now focused on establishing the full scale of the alleged practice, including the number of patients he treated, the medicines and injections administered, and the financial gains allegedly made. The police will also examine the action to be initiated against the alleged proceeds of crime.Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues. Expertise: Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including: Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground. Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure. Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case). Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions. Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram