According to sources, certain influential practicing RMPs in the state, including two former MLAs and some other politicians, were instrumental in getting themselves registered in Punjab after getting their fake documents accepted as genuine ones by the Board for Ayurvedic and Unani Systems of Medicine, Punjab.

These influential RMPs, say sources, got themselves registered in 1976 on the basis of their registration certificates obtained from other states like Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Bihar. Sources add that such RMPs, who have been practicing in the state, got themselves registered with Punjab in violation of the Indian Medical Central Council Act, 1970, which prohibits the migration of any RMPs from one state to another.

Confirming this, the Vigilance Bureau DIG NarendraSharma told The Indian Express that the Bureau was conducting an inquiry into the matter after the Punjab government entrusted the task to it. ``While some such cases of fake documents of RMPs have already come to light, the reports from other parts of the state are yet to come, which might unearth the alleged scam'', said Sharma. The matter came to light after certain complaints were received in this regard and the Punjab Health Minister Manoranjan Kalia ordered a departmental probe.

A probe in the matter was done by Registrar of the Board of Ayurvedic and Unani Systems of Medicine, Punjab, Sanjeev Goyal, which indicated that at least 450 RMPs had got themselves fraudulently registered with Punjab, in violation of the Act.

The report also mentions that sitting MLA and former minister, Harbans Lal and former MLA Ramesh Dutt had got themselves registered in violation of the Act. DIG Sharma confirmed that the antecedents of certificates of the two politicians were also being ascertained by theVigilance Bureau.

The Board Registrar had also mentioned in his report that certain sitting Board members were also involved in the alleged scam and recommended the dissolution of the Board which had already completed its tenure in 1996. The Registrar's report also sought complete sealing of records and handing over of the probe to the CBI.