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Ludhiana: 2 civil hospital lab technicians held for forging dope test reports
According to police, the duo charged applicants to provide negative dope test results, even when proper testing had not been conducted
Police have arrested two contractual laboratory technicians of Ludhiana Civil Hospital after investigations revealed that at least eight fake dope test reports were forged to help applicants obtain firearm licences.
The arrests come amid rising concerns over forged medical reports being used to bypass official licensing procedures.
The accused have been identified as Ram Kumar and Avtar Singh, both employed on a contractual basis at the hospital’s laboratory.
According to police, the duo charged applicants to provide negative dope test results, even when proper testing had not been conducted.
Police have registered a case under Sections 318(4), 336(2), 338, 340(2), and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy.
Inspector Amritpal Singh, station house officer (SHO) of Salem Tabri police station, said the accused had been working at the hospital for several years. “They forged the doctor’s signatures and used fake stamps to prepare counterfeit dope test reports. Two stamps used in the crime have been recovered,” he added.
Authorities are interrogating the accused to identify others who may have been involved and to determine how much money was charged for each forged report.
Over the past few months, fake dope test reports have become a major challenge for the police, with several suspicious documents found attached to applications for firearm licences.
In one case, officials discovered that a report contained a doctor’s signature on a day the doctor was on leave. Following this, assistant commissioner of police (licensing unit) Rajesh Sharma wrote to the chief medical officer and senior medical officer of Ludhiana, seeking verification of several reports. Investigations confirmed that at least eight reports were forged, prompting further police action.
Police officials said these arrests mark a crucial step toward curbing the growing menace of forged medical documents being used to illegally obtain firearm licences.
The investigation is ongoing to uncover the full extent of the racket.
