Homeopathy practitioner, assistant arrested for practising allopathy in Chennai

Homeopathy practitioner arrested in Chennai for illegally administering allopathic treatments and performing procedures without proper qualifications.

A homeopathy practitioner and her assistant were arrested in Teynampet for allegedly treating patients using allopathic medicines despite not being qualified to practise allopathy.

According to the police, the Joint Director (Legal) of the Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services filed a complaint stating that Poonam Lalit Sharma, who had studied homeopathy, was providing treatment for ear-related ailments using allopathic medicines from a room inside a private hotel on Kodambakkam High Road in Nungambakkam.

The complaint further alleged that she had also performed minor surgical procedures without formally studying allopathic medicine and without following proper medical precautions, thereby endangering the lives and health of the public. Based on the complaint, the Teynampet police registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Medical Council Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and began an investigation.

Following an inquiry, the police arrested Poonam Lalit Sharma (52) from Mumbai, Maharashtra, and her assistant Shilpa (44) of Sowcarpet, Chennai, who allegedly aided her activities.

The police also seized injections and tablets used for allopathic treatment from them. Both the accused were produced before a court and were remanded in judicial custody.