Indian-Canadian Doctor Fined in Dubai for Forging Medical Degree

An Indian-Canadian woman dermatologist was sentenced to six months jail term after the Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s order which found her guilty of forging and using fake diploma as well as other documents to practice medicine in Dubai.

According to a report in Khaleej Times, the 38-year-old Canadian woman, originally from India, managed to get the license to practice dermatology in Dubai after filling in her application form with false information.

The woman, whose name was not disclosed by the paper, used forged general medicine degree and diploma in specialization when applying for the permit, Khaleej Times reported.

The doctor also threatened by email the company, that specializes in background verification, to verify her documents faster and told the firm that in case the result was not positive, it would be closed.

The Court of First Instance earlier convicted her of charges of practicing medicine with a license she had wrongfully obtained and committed forgery. It sentenced her to a six-month jail term, to be followed by deportation, Khaleej Times said.

The lower court later ordered her to pay a fine of Dh200,000. The woman filed an appeal with the Court of Appeals which upheld the lower court’s verdict.

The case harks back to Mar. 6, 2016 when a complaint was filed against the doctor at Al Rafaa police station.

Quoting an official from the Health Regulation Department, Dubai Health Authority (DHA), the newspaper reported that the woman filed an application through the DHA e-system to get a permit to work as a dermatologist.

“She enclosed with her application two diplomas that she had studied medicine in the United States and a permit stating that she last practiced medicine in India, in addition to other certificates.

“Regarding the defendant, her name was not found on the website of the American Board and so her application was turned down.

“She filed another application in which she enclosed another document that her membership in the American Board had been renewed. Pending the results of the verification by the hired company, the defendant was authorized to start working on April 18, 2016,” the newspaper quoted an official as saying.

On Nov. 12, 2016, the company got back stating that some of the documents presented by the accused were not authentic.

The authorities later suspended her license but when she followed up on her application and insisted her documents were not forged, the medical practices committee at the DHA permanently revoked her license, the paper reported.