Uttarakhand: First arrest made in Kumbh Mela fake Covid testing scam 

DEHRADUN:  The first arrest has been made in connection with the fake Covid testing scam that surfaced during the 2021 Kumbh Mela.

“A man has been arrested in connection with the fake testing in Kumbh. The investigation of the SIT is also going on,” Santhil Avoodai Krishna Raj S, senior superintendent of police, Haridwar district said. 

During Kumbh, the Uttarakhand government had authoritised 11 labaoratories to carry out Covid testing of those visiting Kumbh Mela.

One of the laboratories selected had in turn selected two others—Nalwa Labs and Dr Lalchandani Labs. These two labs are under probe over irregularities in over 1 lakh Covid tests conducted by them. 

The man named Ashish Nalwa, a resident of Haryana, was arrested on Saturday. He is accused of arranging ‘manpower’ for Nalwa Laboratories Private Limited.  

Earlier this month, the SIT added Section 467 (Forgery of valuable security, will, etc) to the FIR registered against a firm and two laboratories accused of irregularities in Covid-19 testing in Kumbh in Haridwar.

A case was registered last month under sections of the Epidemic Act, 1897, Disaster Management Act, 2005, IPC 420 (forgery), 468(forgery), 471(fraudulently using as genuine any document or electronic record), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and other provisions.

After the alleged scam surfaced, the district administration formed a three-member committee that included the chief development officer.

This was followed by the constitution of a special investigation team (SIT) by the district police to probe the matter.