Coronavirus Test Scam in Kumbhmela

Corruption spreads in different forms in India. UPA-II was known for full of scams that made people fed-up with Congress government. During 7 years of NDA governance, there was no news of corruption except Rafale. 

There was a huge scandal in the name of Covid‌ tests during the scandal. Its value is estimated to be in crores. On one side the opposition and International Media blamed the Modi government for the second wave in India because of elections and Kumbhmela. The Covid test scam causes trouble for the BJP government.

As per the High Court directions, the Uttarakhand government decided to increase tests to 50K per day. The task was delegated to 9 agencies. All agencies together claim a total of 4 lakh examinations were conducted during the Kumbh Mela. The scam erupted when one of the agencies made a thanking call to the person who lived in Punjab for taking the test. He made a complaint to ICMR on the call. The State Health ministry said that one agency did more than one lakh bogus tests conducted in Kumbhmela and entered wrong data.

Private agency had forged the reports and conducted coronavirus tests. The agency was engaged for Covid-19 Testing when Kumbh collected fake samples. Agency used fake phone numbers and addresses to register people for tests. A single phone number was reportedly used to register over 50 people for just one antigen test. Government has stopped the claimed bills of the agency and the probe will continue on other 8 agencies. Out of 4 lakh tests, one lakh tests are considered as bogus.