Amritsar court rejects bail plea of 3 docs accused in fake covid report scam

The racket had surfaced in June when at least four patients, reported to be covid-19 positive at the accused’s lab, turned out to be negative for the disease after retesting at the lab in Government Medical College, Amritsar

Amritsar The court of additional sessions judge Sarabjit Singh Dhaliwal rejected the bail pleas of Dr Robin Tuli, his wife Dr Ridham Tuli and Dr Mohinder Singh on Friday. The three, in collusion with three other doctors at a private hospital, are accused of preparing fake covid-19 positive reports at their laboratory, Tuli Diagnostic Centre (TDC), to fleece patients. All six accused are absconding, with the other three withdrawing their bail applications.

All six accused are absconding, with the other three withdrawing their bail applications. (ANI)

The racket had surfaced in June when at least four patients, reported to be covid-19 positive at the accused’s lab, turned out to be negative for the disease after retesting at the lab in Government Medical College (GMC), Amritsar.

On June 23, the Punjab vigilance bureau registered a case against the owner of TDC, Dr Tuli, his wife Dr Ridham, pathologist Dr Sanjay Piplani and Dr Mohinder Singh, for attempt to murder, fraud, criminal conspiracy and corruption. The vigilance had also booked EMC Super-Specialty hospital’s owner Dr Pawan Arora, and Dr Pankaj Soni for colluding with the lab.

Vigilance investigation also found that some of those declared covid-19 positive in a mala fide manner were admitted to the isolation ward of the EMC Hospital, where genuine patients were being treated. At least, three patients contracted infection due to this, it was claimed.