Mumbai: Fake Doctor Dupes Elderly Woman of Lakhs with False Knee Surgery Claim in Andheri

In a shocking case from Andheri, a fake doctor allegedly conducted a sham knee surgery on an elderly woman and duped her of lakhs of rupees. The Oshiwara Police have registered a case against the fake doctor, identified as Dr. Zafar Merchant, and his accomplice, Vinod Goyal, for cheating. It is alleged that the duo extorted Rs 7.25 lakh from the woman.

The incident began when a 61-year-old woman, who was unaware of the doctor’s true identity, contacted him using a number provided by an unknown individual. According to the police, Dr. Zafar Merchant, posing as a doctor, and his accomplice Goyal orchestrated the fraud in November 2021, deceiving the woman and her family. Although the incident took place nearly three years ago, the victim lodged a formal complaint with the police only recently, following which a case was registered.

Back in 2021, the woman, along with her elderly mother, visited a clinic for dental treatment, where she met Vinod Goyal. During the conversation, she mentioned that her mother was also suffering from severe knee pain. Goyal then recommended a doctor and gave her a contact number. Upon reaching out, the alleged doctor introduced himself as Dr. Zafar Merchant and later visited the woman's home, claiming to perform a simple knee surgery.

In a bizarre procedure, he made incisions on both knees, drew blood, spread it on a paper, applied turmeric, and then discarded the paper, claiming the surgery was successful and that her mother's knee pain would be cured. For this so-called "surgery," he demanded Rs 7.2 lakh, which the woman and her mother paid in cash.

However, even after the so-called surgery, the woman’s mother continued to suffer from knee pain. When they attempted to contact Dr. Merchant again, his phone was switched off. Attempts to reach Goyal were also futile, with him providing only false assurances before cutting off all communication. Meanwhile, due to the passing of her in-laws, the complainant could not immediately report the fraud.

Recently, the complainant read news about similar fraudulent activities by Dr. Merchant targeting other elderly individuals in Mumbai’s western suburbs. After waiting for two months, she finally approached the Oshiwara Police on Tuesday, where they registered a complaint under Sections 419 (impersonation) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code. Police suspect the accused may have similarly duped other individuals.