MADIKERI: The Kodagu Police have arrested a print journalist for allegedly generating fake RTPCR reports.
Identified as Azeez MA, the journalist employed with Vijayavani publication, has been booked under IPC 420, 471 and under the epidemic act.
According to the information reaching here, the accused was generating fake RTPCR test reports to enable inter-state travels between Kodagu and Kerala.
These reports would be created for petty money in his photo studio at Siddapura.
The incident came to light when the police at Kutta Checkpost scanned the QR code of two commuters who were travelling to Kerala from Nellihudikeri.
While the physical report displayed the commuters to be negative for covid, the QR Code scanning turned the result positive.
Kodagu SP Kshama Mishra was immediately alerted on the issue and Siddapura police immediately took up investigation that revealed the name of Azeez.
Sources confirmed that stringent actions are likely to be taken against the accused journalist under the Epidemic act.
Karnataka government has mandated travellers from Kerala to produce a negative RTPCR report to enter the state.
Stringent measures are in place in Kodagu to check the same across Kodagu-Kerala border since February this year.