SIT quizzes mela health officer, Haridwar CMO

HARIDWAR: A Special Task Force (SIT) constituted to probe fake Covid-19 testing during the Mahakumbh started interrogating chief medical officer of Haridwar and mela health officer on Saturday.

As per sources, SIT has taken statements of chief medical officer, Haridwar, Dr Shambhu Kumar Jha, mela health officer AS Sengar, and other officials related to the matter. The team is also expected to visit Haryana and Delhi-based offices of the firm and two private labs that have been named in the FIR for further investigation.

The SIT team is being supervised by Superintendent of City Police Kamlesh Upadhyay and led by Circle officer Buggawala Rakesh Rawat.

The four-member probe panel formed by district magistrate C Ravi Shankar and led by chief investigating officer/chief development officer Saurabh Geharwar arrived at Kumbh Mela Health officer Dr AS Sengar’s office at Rishikul Ayurvedic College and held a closeddoor questioning there.

The committee members refrained from speaking to the media as the probe is underway, only after submission of the report to the district magistrate, any detail can be divulged.

Apoorva Agarwal, counsel presenting Max Corporate Services, said Max Corporate Services was the facilitating agency between the state government and the two private labs - Dr Lal Chandani and Nalva laboratory.

Investigating officer Saurabh Geharwar has appealed to people in general on those having any knowledge, evidence, knowhow or complaints regarding the Max Corporate Services, Dr Lal Chandani and Nalva laboratories, can inform in person or through mail to his office at Roshanabad within seven days.