Sydney's 'fake doctor' found in India, patient feared she would die in his care
The man accused of working as a fraudulent doctor in hospitals across Sydney has been tracked down and is living in India.
A new strike force team has been formed in a bid to bring Shyam Acharya, posing as Dr Sarang Chitale, back to Australia to face fraud charges in court.
It comes as another patient has come forward to reveal she was treated by the alleged fake doctor at Gosford Hospital in January 2014.
Mother-of-two Amy Gleeson said Acharya refused to give her vital heart medication, which almost cost her life.
“He was very rude, abrupt, arrogant,” the 34-year-old said.
“(He said) ‘You’re not getting anything (medication) it’s all in your head’ and just left me feeling more anxious.”
Ms Gleeson’s medical records show she had a pacemaker put in just two years before she went to Gosford Hospital for treatment.
“I was that bad that night that I felt I was going to die because I have a heart condition,” she said.
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Ms Gleeson’s husband said he was angry the fraudulent doctor had put his wife’s health at risk.
“He just took her off her heart medication, told her she doesn’t need it, didn’t believe she had a pacemaker, even though she clearly does,” William Gleeson said.
Mr Gleeson then drove his wife more than an hour to Westmead Hospital for treatment, where she was admitted for a month and given the medication she needed.
Acharya went on the run days before he was due to face court last week over allegations he gained medical registration, was recruited and gained employment in four NSW hospitals using fake documents.
The real Dr Sarang Chitale works in the UK.
