Mumbai: Society manager nails contractor for fake Covid-19 negative reports

As per the rules, before a person is allowed in a housing complex for work now, he should have a negative Covid-19 report. Representation pic

The alert manager of a housing society has led the police to a contractor, who sent four workers for repair works, after allegedly providing their fake negative Covid-19 reports. While the Gamdevi police booked the contractor, they are probing what they think is a network of people who provide such reports without tests.

As per the rules, before any person is allowed inside a housing complex for work now, he should have a negative Covid-19 report. On May 11, a resident in Sajit CHS at Bhulabhai Desai Road, hired four workers for some repairs at home. The contractor for the workers, Shivaji Kamble, had submitted Covid-19 negative reports for them.

What happened

The police said when Hiren Thakkar, manager of the housing society checked the reports, he found the VID (virtual identity) number for them was the same. He informed the chairman of the society, Paris Dubash, about the same.

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"When society members checked with the lab that had allegedly done the tests, they told them the VID number mentioned on the reports submitted by the contractor belonged to another person who had got tested in May 2020. The manager of the society registered a complaint, we have filed an FIR in the matter," said an officer from Gamdevi police station. Work in the resident's house was stopped immediately.

An offence has been registered in Gamdevi police station under IPC sections 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (Whoever unlawfully or negligently does any act which is, and which he knows or has reason to believe to be, likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life),420 (cheating), 465 (forgery), 468 (forging for purpose of cheating) 471 (Using as genuine a forged document or electronic record).

Police speak

"After registration of the offence, we served a notice to the accused, he is cooperating in the investigation and has given us some clues. We think we can get to a network of people who provide such negative reports without tests. This is a serious matter as people give entry to unknown persons on the basis of such reports. Very soon we will find more people involved in this," said Rampiyare Rajbhar, senior inspector of Gamdevi police station. mid-day tried to get in touch with the society committee's office bearers without success.