Two held in Pune for issuing fake RT-PCR reports

Amid a sharp rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, two persons were arrested on Saturday for allegedly issuing fake RT-PCR reports, said the police.

According to a complaint registered with the Deccan Police station of Pune, the accused have issued fake RT-PCR reports to many people till now.

As per the police, a diagnostic centre from the city had received information that somebody is issuing fake RT-PCR test reports in their lab's name. Accordingly, the lab officials reached out to the police and a case was registered.

The police said the two accused identified as Sagar Hande and Dayanand Kharate have been arrested.

In view of the increasing cases, the Maharashtra government, in an order issued on April 10, had made it compulsory for the people delivering essential services and who have not been vaccinated to carry negative RT-PCR reports, valid for 15 days, with effect from the date of the issuance of the order.

The police said that taking advantage of such a high demand of people wanting to have RT-PCR reports and in view of the delay in reports by labs due to rising COVID caseload, the accused issued forged reports to many people.

"They have sold it to many people till now and police is investigating further links in the case", the police added.

Maharashtra is among the 10 states reporting 79.32 per cent of the new cases in the country, said the Union Health Ministry on Saturday.

It stated that Maharashtra reported the highest daily new cases at 63,729 in the last 24 hours. On Saturday, Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties at 398, said the ministry.

( With inputs from ANI )