Published Apr 09, 2026 | 6:45 AM ⚊ Updated Apr 09, 2026 | 6:45 AM
Representational image. Credit: iStock
Synopsis: The Telangana Medical Council has cancelled Dr Kiran Kumar Soma’s registration for two years after uncovering fabricated radiology credentials at Apple Diagnostic Centre, Suryapet. Investigations revealed misdiagnoses, forged documents, and unqualified practice, delaying patient care. Another doctor, Shaik Zulfakar Ali, was censured. The case highlights wider concerns over untrained practitioners issuing critical diagnostic reports.
When patients in Telangana’s Suryapet district walked into Apple Diagnostic Centre complaining of abdominal pain, they trusted that the reports they received would guide their treatment.
For many, that trust proved costly. Diagnoses were wrong, treatments were delayed, and it was only after being referred to higher centres that the real picture emerged.
What followed was a quiet unravelling – one that would eventually lead the Telangana Medical Council to strip a doctor of his registration and expose a trail of fabricated credentials at the heart of a busy scan centre.
The first signs of trouble did not come from patients. They came from the doctors treating them.
Local practitioners in Suryapet began noticing something troubling: the radiology reports coming from Apple Diagnostic Centre were not matching what they were seeing clinically. Patients presenting with clear symptoms were receiving reports that pointed elsewhere, or missed the diagnosis entirely.
“We received complaints about Apple Diagnostic Centre stating that the reports being issued were not of the standard expected from a qualified radiologist. These complaints were mostly oral and came from local doctors. They expressed doubts about whether the practitioner was properly qualified and requested that his credentials be verified,” said Dr V Naresh Kumar, Member, Telangana Medical Council told South First.
The discrepancies were not minor. Conditions such as acute appendicitis and renal calculus were being misinterpreted. Patients were being referred to higher centres, where diagnoses were revised and treatment plans changed entirely.
“This not only delayed care but also caused confusion and inconvenience for patients. In many cases, treating doctors were blamed for incorrect initial diagnoses, when in fact the discrepancy arose from inaccurate radiology reports. This began to affect their professional reputation, leading to further concern within the medical community,” Dr Naresh Kumar.
Over time, what had begun as isolated grumbles became a recognisable pattern. Multiple practitioners reported similar experiences. Discussions among doctors grew more frequent. Eventually, concerns were formally shared with the Telangana Medical Council, including at least one submission from a patient.
The clinical stakes, Dr Naresh Kumar explained, were significant – particularly because the centre was conducting ultrasound and CT scans.
“Ultrasound is particularly operator-dependent and relies heavily on the skill and training of the radiologist. Unlike CT, where images can be reviewed more objectively, ultrasound interpretation depends significantly on the examiner’s expertise,” he said.
He offered a pointed clinical example. Pain in the right lower abdomen can indicate acute appendicitis, an ovarian cyst, an ectopic pregnancy, or a ureteric stone – all presenting with similar symptoms, all requiring careful differentiation.
“There were instances where reports suggested one condition, such as a stone, while evaluation at higher centres later confirmed a different diagnosis, such as acute appendicitis. This reflects a failure to correctly interpret findings,” said Dr Naresh Kumar.
Concerns about errors in fetal scans were also raised, adding to the weight of evidence building against the centre.
The council initiated a background verification of the practitioner’s qualifications. What followed was a formal inspection of Apple Diagnostic Centre on 24 April 2025, authorised by the Chairman of the Telangana Medical Council.
When the inspection team arrived, Dr Kiran Kumar Soma – who had been holding himself out as a Consultant Radiologist and displaying “MD Radiology” on his signage and scan reports – was not present.
In his place was another doctor, Dr Jithikar, who informed the team that he was conducting scans in Dr Soma’s absence. He mentioned that Dr Soma was occupied with plans to establish another hospital and would step in to manage diagnostic services when needed.
When the team asked for Dr Soma’s qualification documents, what was produced raised immediate red flags. The documents, including the claimed radiology degree and a registration certificate purportedly issued by the Maharashtra Medical Council, were found to be fabricated.
A second doctor at the centre, Dr Shaik Zulfakar Ali, who was practicing as a Consultant Radiologist, was found to have no valid registration with the Telangana Medical Council at all.
Show-cause notices were issued to both practitioners. Hearings before the Ethics Committee followed on three dates: 12 July, 27 September, and 29 November 2025.
What emerged during proceedings was damning.
Dr Kiran Kumar Soma admitted that he had displayed “MD (Radio Diagnosis)” and described himself as Consultant Radiologist on name boards, hospital signage, and scanning reports issued to patients. He further admitted that he does not possess a recognised MD (Radio Diagnosis) qualification and that the degree he had been relying upon is not recognised by the National Medical Commission.
When confronted with the forged registration certificate, he acknowledged that the signature appeared to be his but claimed the certificate may have been submitted by hospital staff.
Dr Shaik Zulfakar Ali admitted to practicing without valid TGMC registration and, critically, admitted that he was the one who had handed the fabricated registration certificate of Dr Soma to the inspection team during the April visit.
The Ethics Committee found that Dr Kiran Kumar Soma had falsely represented himself as a qualified radiologist, practiced with an expired registration, and was associated with the submission of fabricated documentation. The conduct, the committee held, amounted to infamous conduct in a professional respect.
The General Body of the Telangana Medical Council unanimously approved the committee’s recommendations.
“In exercise of powers under Section 17(2) read with Section 15(4) of the Telangana Medical Practitioners Registration Act, 1968, the name of Dr Kiran Kumar Soma is hereby removed from the Medical Register of the Telangana Medical Council for a period of two years,” said Dr Mahesh Kumar K, Chairman, Telangana Medical Council, in the order.
Dr Soma has been directed to surrender his Permanent Registration Certificate and Renewal Certificate within ten days of receiving the order. Failure to do so will result in his name being permanently removed from the register.
Dr Shaik Zulfakar Ali was censured. Both practitioners have 60 days to appeal before the National Medical Commission.
For Dr Naresh Kumar, the case points to a wider problem that goes beyond one scan centre in one town.
“Radiology, especially ultrasound, requires specialised training. One cannot issue diagnostic reports without appropriate qualifications such as a recognised postgraduate degree in radiology or sonology, along with practical training and experience,” he said.
A radiology report, he explained, is not a formality. It is a clinical tool that should correlate with the treating doctor’s suspicion and directly guide a patient’s care. When that tool fails, the consequences ripple outward – delayed treatment, unnecessary costs, misplaced blame, and patients left navigating a system that let them down.
