The Commissioner of Police Dimapur, Kevithuto Sophie,
addressing a press conference on Friday.
DIMAPUR — Dimapur
Police have arrested a man named Albert P Lotha for allegedly impersonating a
medical doctor and practising medicine in Dimapur without the necessary
qualifications.
The arrest was announced by Commissioner of Police Dimapur, Kevithuto
Sophie, during a press conference held today.
He explained that an investigation was launched following a
complaint lodged in January by the Nagaland Medical Council, alleging that the
accused person, a resident of NST Colony (Clock Tower area), was practising
medicine at New Market, Dimapur, without the mandatory registration required
under the Medical Council Act of 2014.
A police enquiry, he said, confirmed that the accused had
been posing as a medical doctor in Dimapur and practising medicine without the
necessary qualification. A case was subsequently registered, and Lotha was
arrested.
The CP informed that the ongoing investigation aims to
determine the extent of the impersonation and the potential harm caused to
unsuspecting patients.
According to Sophie, Lotha initially claimed to have
obtained his MBBS degree from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences,
Bengaluru. However, investigation showed that he had enrolled in 2008 but
failed to complete even a single year of study.
Despite this, he reportedly claimed to have graduated in
2014 and had been posing as a qualified doctor. While Lotha did not maintain a
regular clinic, he had been frequently practising for some time, the CP said.
Dimapur Police urged members of the public to come forward
if they have received treatment from Lotha and possess any prescriptions or
medical records linked to him. These documents are crucial to the ongoing
investigation.
The commissioner also appealed to the public to exercise
caution when seeking medical treatment.
He advised them to verify the qualifications and credentials
of medical professionals before consultation for medical ailments.
A practising medical doctor should possess a valid State
Medical Council Registration number/ID, he explained, and encouraged the
citizens to report to the police any individual suspected of practising
medicine without valid credentials.
Pimla murder case
Sophie confirmed that five suspects remain in judicial
custody in connection with the Pimla murder case. He said that they are
awaiting crucial forensic reports before submitting the final charge sheet.
According to the commissioner, the delay is due to the
off-state location of the forensic laboratory processing the samples.
However, recognising the public's concern and the need for
swift justice, the commissioner assured that the case is being treated with the
utmost seriousness.
The commissioner further clarified the post-mortem findings,
confirming the death was homicidal in nature. However, he added that the report
does not definitively rule out the possibility of sexual assault.
"To verify this, a vaginal swab and other relevant
samples have been sent for forensic testing. We will make final conclusions
once all reports are received," he said.
The commissioner also provided an update on a recent drug
bust by the anti-narcotic team of Nagaland Police. He stated that the team
followed a group of suspects from Kohima to Dimapur, leading to the arrest of
three individuals near Clock Tower, Dimapur.
The suspects were allegedly in possession of 25 soap cases
containing approximately 280 grams of Shan Flower drugs. A woman believed to be
the intended buyer was also subsequently taken into custody.
