If a doctor fabricates false evidence, for example, the name of a hospital in the Mediclaim form, so that the patient gets the claim, this amounts to criminal offense and imprisonment up to 3 years and fine.

Section 192 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has clarified what constitutes false evidence. It should be read along with Section 193, which clearly mentions the punishment for the same.

“192. Fabricating false evidence.—Whoever causes any circumstance to exist or 1[makes any false entry in any book or record, or electronic record or makes any document or electronic record containing a false statement], intending that such circumstance, false entry or false statement may appear in evidence in a judicial proceeding, or in a proceeding taken by law before a public servant as such, or before an arbitrator, and that such circumstance, false entry or false statement, so appearing in evidence, may cause any person who in such proceeding is to form an opinion upon the evidence, to entertain an erroneous opinion touching any point material to the result of such proceeding, is said “to fabricate false evidence”.

Section 193 states that anyone who deliberately provides false evidence at any time during a judicial proceeding, or fabricates false evidence to be used during a judicial proceeding, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term extending up to seven years, and shall also be liable to pay a fine, and whoever intentionally gives or fabricates false evidence in any other case, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term extending to three years, and shall be liable to pay a fine.