FIR filed against lab operator for fraudulent Covid tests during Kumbh Mela
Friday, 01 MARCH 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The Dehradun senior superintendent of police Ajai Singh registered an FIR against a lab operator in connection with fake rapid antigen and RTPCR tests to detect Covid-19 during the Kumbh Mela 2021 held in Haridwar. He informed that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had registered a case in Haridwar Kotwali in 2021 against three pathology labs that were allegedly involved in conducting fake rapid antigen and RTPCR tests during Kumbh Mela. The ED conducted an investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and found that the government paid Rs 84.57 lakh to a lab located in Dehradun’s Patelnagar area to conduct the tests. However, when the authorities checked the data of the said lab on the portal of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), they found that these tests conducted by the lab appeared to be fake, Singh said. The data showed that many patients were tested on different dates and had different addresses but their registered mobile numbers were the same. The ED sent the said report to the SSP to investigate the matter and act accordingly. Considering this, Singh instructed the in- charge of the Patelnagar police station to conduct a preliminary investigation and take necessary action. He said that the police found in the primary investigation that the entries made in the said lab were fake. Considering this, the SSP filed an FIR against the operator of the lab under sections 120 B, 420, 467,468 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code in the Patelnagar police station. It is an ongoing investigation and the authorities will take further action accordingly, Singh added.
