2,053 persons given fake vaccines in Mumbai, state tells HC

The state government and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday informed the Bombay high court (HC) that stringent measures had been undertaken to clamp down on private vaccination camps being organised in the city wherein residents of societies, students and employees of educational institutions and corporate houses were being administered fake vaccines and five first information reports (FIR) were registered along with the testimonies of around 400 witnesses

The state government and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday informed the Bombay high court (HC) that stringent measures had been undertaken to clamp down on private vaccination camps being organised in the city wherein residents of societies, students and employees of educational institutions and corporate houses were being administered fake vaccines and five first information reports (FIR) were registered along with the testimonies of around 400 witnesses. The Mumbai Police and the BMC, while responding to the query of the HC, informed the bench that around 2,053 persons had been administered fake vaccines in nine such camps and the perpetrators had been arrested.

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The court, while expressing its dismay at such instances directed the state government and BMC to formulate policies or guidelines on an immediate basis to ensure that the lives of the citizens were not put to risk and sought affidavits enumerating the same by the next hearing.

The division bench of chief justice Dipankar Datta and justice Girish Kulkarni, while hearing the public interest litigation filed by Siddharth Chandrashekhar, was informed by advocate Anita Shekhar-Castellino that in light of news reports of some individuals/groups taking advantage of the problems faced by citizens, while booking vaccination slots on Co-WIN portal, the court should issue directions to the authorities to make the process more accessible for everyone and prioritise vaccination for the elderly and the sick.

In light of these submissions, Castellino said strict action was required against the persons who fooled and fleeced people.

On June 22, the court had directed the police to investigate the same and submit a report and had also directed the BMC to formulate a policy to ensure such instances were not repeated.

Responding to the directions of the court, chief public prosecutor Deepak Thakare for the state submitted a confidential status report on the investigation and said that five FIRs had been registered in Mumbai against the perpetrators and probes to get to the root of the scandal was in progress.

Thakare submitted that due to the seriousness of the issue, the lower court had refused to grant bail to two of the accused, namely Ashish Mishra of Aditya College of Architecture and Rajesh Pandey, another accused. He added that

Dr Manish Tripathi, a third accused was absconding. The group of five had allegedly held private vaccination camps for a society in Kandivli and Versova and their scandal came to light after the certificates issued by them did not reflect on the Co-WIN portal.

Thakare sought directions of the court to the authorities and others that the local police station should be informed about the organisation of such vaccination camps in advance.

Thakare further submitted that in all 2,053 persons were given fake vaccines and it included 390 vaccinations at Hiranandani Health Club at Kandivli (West), 514 in Borivli, 207 at Poddar Education Society in Parel, 30 at Malad West and around 365 employees of Tips Industries at Khar. He further informed the court that none of the beneficiaries of the fake vaccines had suffered any side effects after inoculation.

Senior advocate Anil Sakhare for the BMC informed the bench that the civic authority has lodged a complaint against the frauds and its investigations revealed that none of the hospitals to which the scamsters had claimed to be attached to, had provided the vials for such camps. Sakhare added that Covishield manufacturer Serum Institute of India (SII) was also requested to look into the issue.

After hearing the submissions and being told that guidelines were yet to be formulated by the state and BMC to curb such instances, the bench said, “We want a specific policy on fake vaccination. You cannot delay like this, this is an urgent matter. Every minute is important and time is of the essence.”

The bench observed that there was a need to test the beneficiaries of the fake vaccines to ascertain the effect of the fake vaccines so that they can be vaccinated properly. The court then directed the state and BMC to file affidavits and posted further hearing to June 29.