Two arrested in Hyderabad for providing fake RT-PCR test reports, COVID vaccination certificates

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], January 21 (ANI): Hyderabad Police arrested two people for providing fake RT-PCR COVID-19 test reports without taking swabs and vaccination certificates without administration of the physical doses.
Chakravarthy Gummi, Deputy Commissioner of Police said that the arrested persons sold fake RTPCR test reports and vaccination certificates by collecting money. The two accused were arrested in two different cases under Malakpet and Humayun Nagar police stations.
According to Police, one of the arrested persons, P Laxman worked at different diagnostic centres as a lab technician. About a year ago, he opened his own diagnostic centre at Asman Ghat under Malakpet police station. He tied up with MedicsPathlabs India to send his collected samples and to get test reports. The accused tore the kits and sent dummy samples to Madcis Pathlabs. For issuing negative reports and issuing fake certificates, he collected between Rs 2,000-Rs 3,000 per certificate.
Hyderabad Police seized 65 fake RTPCR certificates, 20 sample collection kits, and a mobile phone from Laxman.
In the second case, the arrested person MD Tariq, who used to work as a lab technician at different diagnostic centres earlier, opened his own diagnostic centre, "Image Diagnostic Center", at Murad Nagar, Asif Naga year ago. Later, he partnered with laboratories to send his samples.
Police said in collusion with one Kumari, a computer operator at Afzal Sagar, Tariq started providing vaccination certificates to customers without physical doses and issued forged RTPCR reports by charging Rs 800 to Rs 1,000.
Hyderabad police seized 50 fake COVID vaccine certificates, 10 RTPCR reports and 2 mobile phones from MD Tariq.
Further investigation is underway. (ANI)