Uttarakhand govt suspends 2 officials for involvement in Kumbh Mela fake testing scam

By Team Newsable | First Published Aug 27, 2021, 1:30 PM IST

Then Mela officer (medical and health) Dr Arjun Singh Sengar and then officer-in-charge (medical and health) Dr N K Tyagi were suspended on Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's orders Thursday night.

Dehradun: The Uttarakhand government has suspended two mela officials for alleged involvement in the fake Covid-19 testing scam during the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar.

Then Mela officer (medical and health) Dr Arjun Singh Sengar and then officer-in-charge (medical and health) Dr N K Tyagi were suspended on Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's orders Thursday night.

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The action is based on the report prepared by a committee headed by the chief development officer of Haridwar, Saurabh Gaharwar, which found the two officials guilty of “indiscipline at work” and being “hand-in-glove with private agencies involved in the scam”.

"Corruption and carelessness at any level will not be tolerated. Stern action will be taken against anyone who is found guilty in connection with the scam," Dhami was quoted by PTI.

Meanwhile, the CM has instructed Haridwar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Senthil Avoodai Krishna Raj S to take legal action against the companies involved in the scam. Any company/ individual being named in the SIT probe will now be punished.

Also read: Centre suggests night curfews in Kerala, Maharashtra amid COVID cases surge

Uttarakhand government registered a case against two private labs and Max Corporate Limited agency in this connection. The state health department lodged an FIR at Nagar Kotwali police station against Max corporate agency, Lalchandani Labs, and Nalwa Lab in Nagar Kotwali.

Max Corporate Service and the two other labs have been booked under the Epidemic Act, the Disaster Management Act besides sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy to commit an offence punishable) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code.

Three shahi snans took place in Uttarakhand on April 12, 14 and 27, and as per the reports, 70 lakh devotees attended the Kumbh.

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