Probe report in alleged illegal sale of Covid test kits submitted to PMC commissioner

Sources confirmed that various irregularities had been found with regard to the antigen test kits during the pandemic. In some cases, the test kits were found to be sold outside with the beneficiaries’ numbers all wrong

Additional municipal commissioner Ravindra Binwade has submitted to municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar a comprehensive report regarding the alleged illegal sale of antigen test kits during the Covid-19 pandemic by civic hospitals. As the police as well as employees of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) health department had raised questions over the alleged irregularities in the antigen test kits during the pandemic, Binwade had asked the civic health department to submit a comprehensive report in connection with the same.

During the pandemic, there were allegations that as many as 11,000 bogus patients were registered for antigen tests at the PMC-run Arvind Bartakke clinic at Warje. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

Kumar confirmed having received this report and said, “I got the report recently. I will read the report and if I find any irregularities, action will be taken as per the law.”

Sources confirmed that various irregularities had been found with regard to the antigen test kits during the pandemic. In some cases, the test kits were found to be sold outside with the beneficiaries’ numbers all wrong. It was found that the health department had kept senior officials in the dark despite receiving a letter from the police asking for initiation of an inquiry into the matter.

During the pandemic, there were allegations that as many as 11,000 bogus patients were registered for antigen tests at the PMC-run Arvind Bartakke clinic at Warje. A primary investigation led by the Warje-Malwadi police station found that an estimated Rs33 lakh had been siphoned-off in this manner. Health officer Dr Satish Kolsure, who was previously associated with the Bartakke clinic during the pandemic, lodged a complaint in the matter that bogus patients had been registered and that test kits had been illegally sold at private laboratories and hospitals. After the complaint was lodged, the police conducted an initial probe and found that many of the patients who had been tested were bogus.