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VN Desai Hospital takes legal action against contractors who hired a fake doctor. Investigation underway as authorities probe serious breach in healthcare safety.
Mumbai’s V. N. Desai Hospital Takes Firm Action Against Contractor After Unregistered Doctor Found in ICU
Mumbai, August 6, 2025 — The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)–run V. N. Desai Hospital in Santacruz has moved swiftly against Sai Sanjivani Agency after uncovering that an unregistered “doctor” had treated patients in its Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for nearly two years.
Discovery of a Forged Practitioner
In early 2025, routine hospital verification raised red flags when a staff member noted that Dr. Bharat Chandrakant Sawant, serving as an ICU registrar via Sai Sanjivani, had submitted a dubious document, claiming permission to practise from the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC). Upon sending his credentials to the MMC in February, the MMC confirmed in April that there was no registration record for Dr. Sawant and the submitted document was forged.
Dr. Sawant had purported to manage ventilator care, drug administration, and supervise critical procedures in one of Mumbai’s civic hospital ICUs—without any valid medical registration. The revelation spurred immediate removal from duty and imposition of a fine, although no FIR or criminal prosecution has yet been filed.
Contractor Under Fire
Sai Sanjivani Agency had been tasked with supplying qualified, MMC-registered doctors under a contract with the BMC. The hospital promptly froze all payments to the agency from November 2024 after the MMC’s warning became known, and began seeking legal counsel. Two show-cause notices have been issued to the contractor, with a third underway.
According to hospital officials, the contractor was fully responsible for verifying credentials before deployment. Instead, a person with fabricated paperwork was stationed in one of the most sensitive hospital wards—a breach of trust potentially jeopardizing patient safety.
Prior History of Contractual Violations
This is not the first time VN Desai Hospital has confronted issues with contracted medical providers. In 2022, separate complaints led to termination of a contract with the Jeevan Jyot Charitable Trust, which had allegedly supplied non-allopathic doctors (BAMS/BHMS) rather than the required MBBS or MD practitioners, in violation of tender terms. The trust faced penalties and was ultimately replaced by Sai Sanjivani in late 2022.
Implications of the Failure
The case spotlights long-standing systemic weaknesses: hospitals trusting private contractors without robust internal verification, contractors cutting corners, and regulators acting only when alerted. Since 2021, Maharashtra has exposed around 391 fake doctors, including 35 in Mumbai alone in 2025, yet convictions remain rare.
Health activists and patient advocates have criticized the BMC’s oversight. One activist told reporters, “It is deeply ironic that the same civic body responsible for uncovering quacks employed an unregistered doctor in its own facility”.
What BMC and Hospital Officials Are Saying
Hospital authorities have stated that no false appointment was approved by them and that punitive measures against the contractor were initiated as soon as the MMC flagged the fraud. All pending dues to Sai Sanjivani have been withheld since November 2024. The hospital’s legal team is reviewing further steps, including possible civil or criminal proceedings.
Medical Superintendent Dr. Jairaj Acharya, who responded to MMC verification requests, clarified that the impostor was dismissed immediately and the contractor penalized as per contract terms. However, questions remain over why the appointment was not flagged earlier and why FIR proceedings have not been initiated.
Push for Reform and Accountability
The broader implications are taking centre stage: critics argue BMC must tighten oversight over contractors, enforce tougher verification practices at hospitals, and consider legislative reforms. Maharashtra’s Medical Education Ministry is reportedly working on stricter laws to penalize medical fraud more severely.
The MMC is also updating its systems. In light of recent scams, it is developing a mobile app and QR‑code based tool, enabling patients and institutions to verify a doctor’s MMC registration instantly. This is part of efforts to reduce reliance on paper certificates, which are easier to forge.
Risk to Patients and Public Trust
Families whose loved ones were cared for by Dr. Sawant are understandably shaken. One relative observed, “I can’t stop thinking: what if decisions made by a fake doctor affected my husband’s recovery?” Another added that the news shattered their faith in the health system.
Patient advocates emphasize that beyond blaming contractors, the hospital and municipal health authorities must bear responsibility. A registrar—as seen in this case—carries decisive duties in ICU settings. Failure of institutions to verify such roles can directly jeopardize human lives.
The Road Ahead
This incident at V. N. Desai Hospital has triggered internal investigations, prompted regulatory scrutiny, and raised urgent questions around accountability in public healthcare outsourcing. While show-cause notices and payment halts are important first steps, broader reforms are key to rebuilding public confidence.
Whether further legal or disciplinary action follows against Dr. Sawant, supplier agencies, or BMC officials remains an unresolved chapter—but the case marks a wake-up call for hospitals to verify doctor credentials thoroughly and consistently, not reactively.
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