Mumbai Vaccine scam: BMC issues statement on fake vaccine drive in Kandivali, says 'drive was conducted without permission'

In a significant breakthrough, the Mumbai Police have arrested five persons in connection with the allegedly fraudulent Covid vaccination drive conducted at Hiranandani Heritage Club in Kandivali (West) late in May, a top official said on Friday.

Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburbs) Suresh Kakani appointed Deputy Commissioner zone 7 to conducted the inquiry. Accordingly, Shankarwar has submitted this report to the municipal administration.

Although a total of 390 people were given the suspected vaccine, only 120 residents received vaccination certificates. The names of three different hospitals were on the certificates. However, an inquiry conducted by these hospitals has revealed that the concerned have not entered into any agreement with these hospitals and these hospitals have nothing to do with the said vaccination. It has also come to light that the circular issued by the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on May 7, 2021 regarding the guidelines to be followed by the housing societies for vaccination has not been complied with and no permission has been sought from the concerned for organizing the vaccination.

Overall, it has been revealed that this type of vaccination was done in a fake manner. Not only this, it has also been pointed out that fake certificates have been issued by stealing the user ID and password to issue the vaccination certificates and the suspected vaccine has been obtained in an unauthorized manner.

Those arrested include: Mahendra Kuldeep Singh, 39, Sanjay Gupta, 25, Chandan Singh, 32, Karim Akber Ali, 21 and Nitin More, 32. The arrests came after the shaken society members lodged a police complaint a couple of days ago even as the Mumbai Police and BMC launched independent probes into the inoculation drive.

After the fraud erupted this week, the Mumbai Police are now probing whether the same group or other unauthorized persons have conducted similar illegal vaccination camps in other housing complexes.