KOCHI: A day after the arrest of a migrant worker from Murshidabad who allegedly forged RT-PCR test certificates, the police on Thursday raised suspicions of hawala dealings and the involvement of anti-national elements behind the shocking activity. On Wednesday, the Ernakulam rural police arrested Sanjit Kumar, who was running a shop in Muvattupuzha. He had issued fake RT-PCR certificates in the name of hospitals and labs in various parts of Ernakulam and Kottayam districts, the police said.
The police suspect that Sanjit’s financial transactions have connections with hawala dealings. “We have recovered Rs 8 lakh from the shop. Five laptops, a currency-counting machine, a thumb scanner and copies of several Aadhaar cards were also seized from his shop. Transactions for huge amounts were made in his bank account. We suspect he is not just making fake RT-PCR certificates, but there are other dealings. He may have used the forged Aadhaar details for anti-national purposes. A thorough investigation will reveal the depth of his involvement,” said a top officer on condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, the police have also found that Sanjit was leading a lavish life. “He is entirely different from other migrant workers. He is also an agent for sending money to the people in West Bengal,” said an officer.The police have approached the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Muvattupuzha, seeking custody of the accused. “Once we get him under custody, the probe will widen. We will investigate all angles in the case,” said Rural SP K Karthick.