The matter came to light after a Punjab resident approached the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) saying that his Aadhaar and mobile number were used for a Covid-19 test even though he had not given a sample for it.
According to reports, the private labs might have issued more than one lakh such test results. (Photo Source: PTI)The Uttarakhand Police has filed a case against a company and two private labs for issuing fake coronavirus test reports during the Kumbh Mela 2021. The FIR has been registered on behalf of Haridwar Chief Medical Officer Shambhu Kumar Jha. According to cops, those who have been named in the FIR are Max Corporate Service Kumbh Mela, Nalwa Laboratories Private Limited of Hisar, and Delhi-based Dr Lalchandani Lab. They have been booked for issues fake Covid-19 negative certificates with an intention of making some quick money.
According to reports, the private labs might have issued more than one lakh such test results. Sources also said that the labs forged these test reports to meet the daily quota of 50,000 tests set by the Uttarakhand High Court.
In order to control the spread of Covid-19 during the month-long religious congregation, the state High Court had directed the government to test at least 50,000 samples. Following this, the concerned authorities awarded the contract of conducting Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) of devotees and volunteers to Max Corporate Service. The company then hired the two other labs for this.
The matter came to light after a Punjab resident approached the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) saying that his Aadhaar and mobile number were used for a Covid-19 test even though he had not given a sample for it. ICMR then alerted the government about the issue following which the state government formed a three-member panel to investigate the matter.
Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat has said the fake Covid-19 testing scam did not happen in his tenure. On the other hand, former chief minister and his predecessor Trivendra Singh Rawat has demanded a judicial probe into the matter.
“The scam is old. I took over in March. However, a probe has already been ordered into it and stern action will be taken against those involved,” Tirath Singh Rawat was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
It must be noted that Tirath Singh Rawat was appointed Chief Minister of the state on March 10 while the Haridwar Kumbh Mela was held from April 1 to April 30.
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