Amid a constant stream of arrest of "fake doctors" in West Bengal, the state medical council on Monday pleaded helplessness, saying it neither had judicial powers nor could act like police, but claimed that the racket had come to the fore after it asked for medical registration of doctors in the state.

"We don't have judicial powers. We are not police also," West Bengal Medical Council president Nirmal Maji told a media meet here.He, however, said the fake doctor cases came to light after the body wrote to the government and private health facilities to furnish registration number in West Bengal of medical practitioners."When we wrote for the first time, we did not get any response. After two months, when we gave a reminder, then also there was little response from private hospitals and nursing homes," said Maji, also a state lawmaker from the ruling Trinamool Congress.

"Then when we gave the final warning notice, then the private health facilities sat up."Maji alleged that some fake doctors were active in government hospitals, while in private hospitals and nursing homes, "they call the shots".He appealed to the public to let the WBMC know if they find the credentials of any doctor suspicious."Any individual, who claims he is a doctor, if his movements and behaviour create suspicion in their mind, the common people should immediately complain to the WBMC through email or letter," he said.When a reporter pointed out that some of the doctors were close to him, Maji said: "Why me alone. Many of them have close contacts with people of the level of Inspector General of Police, Deputy Inspector General of Police, or Police Superintendents."Referring to an arrested "gastroenterologist" Ajay Tewary, who had practised for 21 years with a reputed health facility, Maji said: "You can find him in the same frame with a lot of important persons including ministers.

"On reports that he had written the preface to a book penned by another alleged fake doctor Naren Pandey, now in CID custody, he said: "He came to me as vice president of the Unani Council.As president of West Bengal Medical Council, the moment I came to know that he is a fake doctor, I told the CID to check whether his certificate is fake. We lodged a police complaint also."Maji alleged that seven to eight "illegal private institutions" have been supplying "bogus medical registration numbers"."Medical chambers have mushroomed like grocery shops across Bengal. They have got their registrations from seven-eight illegal institutions. Even those who have only cleared higher secondary level or possess B.A or M.A degrees have been given recognition as doctors."The state CID, which has been probing the case for over a month, has so far arrested seven persons in connection with the racket and said over 500 medical practitioners were under the scanner over their credentials. Besides, the Howrah city police have also made one arrest.