The Mumbai Police has launched an investigation into a fake COVID-19 vaccination scam, where people are suspected to be given distilled water instead of the vaccine. Reportedly, a special investigation team (SIT) led by DCP Vishal Thakur will head the investigation. The police also informed the Bombay High Court on Thursday that over 2,000 people received fake vaccines at nine private camps. Police have filed seven FIRs and arrested 10 people so far, including a woman who shared the username/password of a CoWIN account to generate vaccination certificates.
The Bombay High Court had on Tuesday directed the Maharashtra government and BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation to catch the kingpins and unearth the entire racket. According to a complaint registered by the residents of the society, on May 30, the management committee of Hiranandani Heritage had arranged a Covid vaccination drive for its residents and their in-house staff, including the security guards, drivers, and domestic helps. The society has 435 flats, comprising three residential towers and around 390 residents participated in the drive.
The residents had in their complaint stated that a facilitator, Rajesh Pandey, who claimed to be a sales representative from Kokilaben Hospital, negotiated with them for providing 400 vaccine doses on their society premises. They further stated that each dose cost Rs 1,260 and around Rs 5 lakh was paid.
Later, other instances also came to light, including at the Aditya College in Borivali and the Tips Industries Ltd in Andheri, even as the police swooped and nabbed five persons in connection with the fraud last week.
In most of these #VToo scams that have emerged, there are several common points like the vaccination data not uploaded on the CoWIN portal, the Covid Vaccination Certificate (CVCs) not issued or delayed and coming from different hospitals with many errors, people not experiencing the possible side-effects post-dose, exorbitant charges for vaccines which the government has now started giving for free, the vaccine vials were not sealed or stamped 'Not For Sale' etc.