Fake Covid testing scam: Probe report questions role of 2 health officers

Health officials in Haridwar ignored the first inkling of a major scam in Covid-19 testing during the Mahakumbh in mid-April by allowing private firm Max Corporate Services to continue tests despite concerns of irregularities being raised, an inquiry conducted by Haridwar’s chief development officer (CDO) Saurabh Gaharwar, has revealed.

Gaharwar submitted the report to Haridwar district magistrate Vinay Shankar Pandey on Saturday.

A district administration official aware of the development said the report, running into over 1,100 pages, has majorly raised questions over two senior health department officials on handing the contract to Max Corporate Services, which further let sub-contracts to various testing laboratories.

An official, privy to the report and speaking on the condition of anonymity, said: “The report has raised questions on the role of district chief medical officer and the Kumbh mela health officer for not taking any major action to check and stop the irregularities in the Covid testing.”

“The report also raised questions on how Max Corporate Services got the contract from the Mela health department without proper verification. The firm neither had experience of conducting tests nor did it have a registered office...,” said the official.

While attempts to contact Mela health officer Dr Arjun Sengar went unanswered, Haridwar CMO Dr SK Jha refused to comment on the report.

“As far as Max Corporate Services is concerned, I had already stated that its application was rejected for conducting Covid-19 tests in Mahakumbh as it was not listed by the Indian Medical Research Council,” Jha said.

Allegations of fake testing surfaced at the Kumbh after a Faridkot resident complained to the authorities that he received a message for collecting his Covid-19 report despite never having been tested.