Mahakumbh fake Covid testing: Max Corporate Services moves court against FIR

Their lawyer said they have pleaded before the court that his client was merely a service provider and that it gave the contract of the testing to two nationally accredited laboratories for conducting rapid antigen testing

Max Corporate Services on Friday moved the Uttarakhand high court against the First Information Report (FIR) filed a day earlier against it in Haridwar over alleged fake Covid-19 testing during Mahakumbh in April.

Representational Image. (File photo)

Kartikey Hari Gupta, the Max Corporate Services’ lawyer, said they have pleaded before the court that his client was merely a service provider and that it gave the contract of the testing to two nationally accredited laboratories for conducting rapid antigen testing. “If any fake testing has been done, Max Corporate Services has no role to play and in fact is willing to help in the probe if any such thing has happened.”

Gupta cited the government order for the testing and added Max Corporate Services only facilitated it through the two labs. “All the sample collection and other data entries were done well with the knowledge and supervision of the government health authorities. We have requested the court to protect the petitioner from any coercive measures of police and in whatever manner government wants to investigate, our client is ready and willing to cooperate.”

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On Thursday, Haridwar police lodged the FIR against Max Corporate Services, Nalwa Lab (Hisar, Haryana), and Lalchandani Lab (Delhi) in connection with alleged fake testing on the complaint of Haridwar’s chief medical officer. The FIR has been filed under the Indian Penal Code’s Sections including 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 471 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and the Disaster Management Act and Epidemic Act.

A top Kumbh Mela official on Wednesday ordered a probe into the Covid-19 tests carried out during the Mahakumbh after reports that the private labs contracted by the Haridwar district administration generated fake reports to meet targets.

This was the second inquiry ordered into the Covid-19 tests conducted in Haridwar during the fair.