Bogus Covid-19 test results: 4 arrested

Three government lab technicians and the proprietor of a private laboratory in the city have been arrested for their involvement in the Covid-19 test scam.

A Yelahanka police team headed by police inspector Sathyanarayana made the arrests.

The culprits have been identified as technicians Padmanab, 37, of 8th Mile; Sathish, 42, of Mathikere; and Puneeth, 33, of Atturu Layout; and Bhavi Reddy, proprietor of Standard Lab in Yelahanka. Satish is also the owner of a private hospital in Kodigehalli.

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According to police, Dr Chethan Kumar of the Government General Hospital in Yelahanka, had filed a complaint with the police on stumbling upon false data entry of Covid test samples.

Padmanab, Sathish, Puneeth, all contract-based government technicians, used to falsely enter data in government records to show that they had collected samples and would give the reports to the private labs. They used to collect around 40 to 50 samples on a daily basis.

Paid Rs 100 per report

The private labs used to charge the patients Rs 800 to Rs 1,000 for the reports and paid Rs 100 each to the trio for every report.

According to police, they were into this fraud since December last year.