SoBo society files case against contractor over fake Covid reports

A housing society in south Mumbai has filed a criminal case registered against a contractor for allegedly producing fake negative Covid-19 test reports of four workers engaged to carry out repairing work in a flat

A housing society in south Mumbai has filed a criminal case registered against a contractor for allegedly producing fake negative Covid-19 test reports of four workers engaged to carry out repairing work in a flat.

HT Image

According to Gamdevi police, the complainant Hiren Thakkar, 64, is the manager of Saajit Cooperative Housing Society Sagar Villa, located on Bhulabhai Desai Road. In his complaint to the police, he stated that one of the residents of the society, R Khemka, wanted to get some repairing work done at her flat and hence secured due permission from the society. But due to the ongoing pandemic situation, the government has made Covid-19 testing of labourers compulsory, before starting any repair work. After Khemka was informed about it, she told the same to the contractor, Shivaji Maruti Kambale.

On Tuesday, four workers arrived at the society for the work and Kambale submitted their negative Covid test reports to the society. “When the society manager saw the Covid test reports, he noticed that the VID (Virtual ID) number and the testing time on all the four reports are same, which raised suspicion about the genuineness of the reports,” a police officer said.

Thakkar then informed society’s chairman Percy Dubash, who then contacted the pathology lab for verification. The lab executive said those reports were not issued by them and further added that the VID number on the reports was linked to some other person’s test report conducted last year. Following this the society informed the Gamdevi police.

“We have registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code against Kambale. His friend had helped him in making the false Covid test report. Both of them will face legal action soon,” said Rampiyare Rajbhar, senior inspector of Gamdevi police.