Kumbh Mela Covid testing scam: ED raids different clinical labs across north India

New Delhi: Enforcement Directorate raided the offices of Novus Path Labs, DNA Labs, Max Corporate Services, Dr. Lal Chandani Labs, Nalwa Laboratories at Dehradun, Haridwar, Delhi, Noida, and Hisar in connection with fake Covid testing scam during Kumbh Mela in Uttarakhand.

ED also conducted searches at the residences of their directors across north India. Enforcement Directorate initiated money laundering investigation on the basis of the FIR registered by Uttarakhand police.

During money-laundering investigation, it was revealed that the Labs were given the contract by Uttarakhand government for conducting Rapid Antigen Test/RT-PCR test during Kumbh Mela. These Labs hardly carried out any Covid test. They, however, made fake entries for the Covid testing and raised bogus bills for illegal financial gains.

An amount of Rs. 3.4 crore has already been received by them from Uttarakhand government as part payment. Modus operandi used by these Labs included using a single mobile number/false mobile number/single address/ same Specimen Referral Form (SRF) for multiple persons for showing the inflated numbers of Covid testing without actually doing it.

The investigation further revealed that testing was claimed to be done in the name of the persons, who never visited Kumbh Mela. Due to false-negative testing by these Labs, the positivity rate of Haridwar at that time was shown at 0.18% against the actual 5.3%.

During the search proceedings, ED has seized incriminating documents, bogus bills, Laptops, mobile phones, and property documents. Search has resulted in the seizure of cash to the tune of Rs. 30.9 lakh. Search in the case is still going on and further investigation in the matter is under progress.