Two persons, including a ward boy of an urban primary health centre in Ghaziabad, were arrested on Monday for illegally administering Covid-19 vaccines to nearly 50 people in Greater Noida, police said.
A team of police and district health department recovered 19 vials (four used) of Covishield and Covaxin, and 155 syringes (30 used) from their possession.
The suspects -- identified as Sushil Kumar (ward boy), 30, and his accomplice Ravi Kumar, 35 -- are residents of Surajpur and Bulandshahr, respectively.
In a police complaint, Dr Sachindra Kumar Mishra, in-charge of community health centre (CHC), Bisrakh, said that he received a tip on Monday that two persons were illegally administering Covid-19 vaccines to the residents of Kheda Chauganpur village in the Ecotech 3 area. “A team of police and health department reached the spot where some people had gathered for vaccination. The house owner, Kunwarpal, told the officials that he had rented the house to Ravi,” Mishra said. Police caught the duo red-handed from the spot, as Sushil was administering vaccines to the people and Ravi was holding the vials.
Bhuvnesh Kumar, station house officer (SHO), Sector Ecotech 3 police station, said Sushil revealed during interrogation that he works as a ward boy at the urban primary health centre in Ghaziabad on contract. “At the health centre, an auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM), Renu, had given Sushil some vials and syringes. Ravi, who is Renu’s brother-in-law, had arranged for some people to conduct the illegal vaccination drive at his rented accommodation in Greater Noida for ₹250 per dose,” Kumar said.
{{/usCountry}}Bhuvnesh Kumar, station house officer (SHO), Sector Ecotech 3 police station, said Sushil revealed during interrogation that he works as a ward boy at the urban primary health centre in Ghaziabad on contract. “At the health centre, an auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM), Renu, had given Sushil some vials and syringes. Ravi, who is Renu’s brother-in-law, had arranged for some people to conduct the illegal vaccination drive at his rented accommodation in Greater Noida for ₹250 per dose,” Kumar said.
{{/usCountry}}The suspects vaccinated 20 people on Monday, and 25 people at a similar vaccination exercise on September 19 this year, police said. A case has been registered against three persons under sections 420 (cheating), 409 (criminal breach of trust), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) and 15 of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956.
“The duo was produced before a court, and sent to judicial custody on Monday. We have launched a search for the third suspect -- ANM Renu,” Kumar added.
Dr Sunil Kumar Sharma, chief medical officer (CMO), Gautam Budh Nagar, said that a door-to-door vaccination drive in the district is not in place. “I am yet to receive details of this case.”
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