‘Probe report on fake tests soon’
DEHRADUN: The Haridwar chief development officer (CDO), who is probing the alleged fake Covid test during Mahakumbh, said he will submit his investigation report to higher authorities in next three-four days.
Besides Haridwar CDO Sanjay Gaharwar, a special investigation team (SIT) of district police is also conducting a separate probe into the case.
Gaharwar on Thursday questioned representatives of Max Corporate Services and Nalwa Laboratories, the two accused firms in the case for about nine hours at his office in Haridwar. Accused Sharad Pant and Mallika Pant, who are the directors of the Max Corporate Services, were questioned by him for about six hours. Representatives of Nalwa Laboratories were grilled for three hours.
“I completed my questioning the accused couple of the agency which had got the contract for the Mela administration for conducting Covid tests in the mega religious event and representatives of one of the two laboratories which conducted the tests in another subcontract with the agency. The representatives of the second laboratory - Dr Lal Chandani Laboratories would come to Haridwar for questioning on Monday. Once it is done, I will submit my report to the authorities within three-four days,” said Gaharwar.
On Thursday, he grilled the accused couple- Sharad Pant and Mallika Pant of Max Corporate Services for six hours and representatives of Nalwa Laboratories for three hours.
“I had demanded the couple to produce some more documents in the probe on which they agreed. Once they submit the documents, a proper analysis would be done before completing the report,” Gaharwar said while refusing to share any further details. The SIT of the Haridwar district police on Friday questioned Pants as they were not questioned by it on Thursday. Till the report was filed, the questioning was still on. The SIT questioned only the representatives of Nalwa Laboratories on Thursday.
“On Friday, the couple arrived for questioning at the SIT office at about 12 noon. They are since then being questioned on their involvement in the alleged scam,” said senior sub-inspector Rajendra Rawat, a member of the SIT.
Another SIT officer, privy to the details of questioning of representatives of Nalwa Laboratories and Max Corporate Services, said, “On Thursday, during the questioning, the representatives were asked about various aspects like how they get into contact with Max Corporate Services for the tests in Mahakumbh and others.”
“They told police that when the representatives of Max Corporate Services for working in the Mahakumbh, they had through that they are from the major hospital chain which shares the same name.
“Hence, they agreed to work with them thinking that it would be a big opportunity for them. They also said that both the parties had signed a memorandum of understanding for the same,” the officer said, adding Nalwa had conducted about one lakh Rapid Antigen Tests of which more than half were fake.