COVID-19 scam: Thousands injected with saltwater instead of vaccine

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New Delhi: Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic hit India, there are multiple cases of fraud and scams in several areas, be It medicines, test reports, or maybe essentials like oxygen cylinders. Now, since the vaccination has begun within the country many cases of scam are beginning .

In one such major incident, thousands of individuals have fallen prey to an elaborate wide-ranging scam selling fake coronavirus vaccines at various places in India, with doctors and medical workers among those arrested for his or her Involvement, authorities say.

So far, 14 people are arrested in reference to the scheme, which saw as many as 2,500 people injected with saline Rather than the COVID-19 vaccine at around 12 vaccination sites in Mumbai and Bengal over the past two months.

Among those arrested are medical professionals, including Doctor Shivraj Pataria and his wife Neeta Pataria — the Owners of the Shivam Hospital in Mumbai. The hospital, which was allegedly aiding the scam, has reportedly been Sealed because the investigation continues.

“Those arrested are charged under criminal conspiracy, cheating, and forgery,” said Vishal Thakur, a policeman in Mumbai told the ny Times.

At least 12 fake vaccination drives were held in or near Mumbai, said Vishal Thakur. “They were using saline water and Injecting it,” Thakur said. “Every fake vaccination camp that they held, they were doing this.”

An estimated 2,500 people got fake shots, he said. The organizers charged their victims fees for the shots, earning up To Rs. 2,083,690 in total.

The case was first flagged to police last month after a number of the individuals who thought they received the vaccine Were suspicious that none of their vaccination certificates appeared on the government’s online portal.

In June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a centralized vaccine drive, during which a big proportion of doses Would be provided by the central government to states for free of charge . Soon after, the country administered a Record 8 million shots during a day — a “gladdening” sign of the program’s acceleration, said Modi.

So far, quite 62 million people — about 4.5 per cent of the country’s population — are fully vaccinated, consistent with Data by Johns Hopkins University.