DEHRADUN: An investigation report into fake Covid testing in Haridwar said health officials of the district were aware of the irregularities, but chose not to act. Had the officials acted on time, they could have stopped the fake testing, the report says.
“Various irregularities by the pathology labs surfaced (during the investigation), such as the filing of expression of interest documents in January and affidavits related to it in April. Why such a long delay? Later, the labs were not uploading data in regular fashion,” said an official on condition of anonymity.
The investigation report was submitted to the district magistrate last week. The DM will submit the report to senior officials of the state government. The report also pointed to a ‘conspiracy’ behind conducting more than 1 lakh fake tests.
Officials privy to the development said district health officials as well as mela health officials have been fired as the report indicates their complicity. The main report consists of 120-pages and annexures run over 2400-pages.
The inquiry was ordered on June 10, 2021 by the Haridwar district administration. The DM had directed the probe agency to complete the inquiry within 15 days. However, multiple extensions were granted on requests made by the officials. On June 18, Haridwar district police formed special investigation team (SIT) to probe fake Kumbh testing matter.
In July 2021, the SIT added Section 467 (Forgery of valuable security, will, etc) in the already registered FIR against a firm and two pathology laboratories accused of irregularities in Covid 19 testing in Kumbh in Haridwar.
Case was registered last month under sections of 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), 188 (punishment for disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant), 269 and 270 (likely to spread infection).
During Kumbh Mela, the Uttarakhand government had teamed up with several private diagnosistic firms to conduct Covid-19 tests. One of the labs Max Corporate Service (MCS) in turn hired two other private laboratories, Delhi-based Lal Chandani Lab and Hissar-based Nalwa lab, to carry out the tests. More than 1 lakh samples tested by these labs are under scanner.