COVID-19: Four arrested for selling fake negative RT-PCR test reports

Police say this is the first time they have come across such a racket in Karnataka

Two members of the technical staff at a Primary Health Centre (PHC) of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) were among four persons arrested for allegedly running a racket selling fake negative RT-PCR reports. The racket was catering to people who wanted negative reports to fulfil conditions for travel and work, but did not want to take a test or wait for the report. Several such rackets have been busted across the country in the past two months, but this is the first such case in Karnataka, said a senior police official. “We are checking if there are more such rackets operating in the city,” the official said. Acting on a tip-off that two people near Sarjapur Main Road were churning out negative RT-PCR reports without even collecting swabs, for a price, two sleuths from the Central Crime Branch (CCB) police approached them and struck a deal for a report. The duo – Mukhesh Singh, 25, and Nagaraj, 39 – were arrested when they handed over the negative report for ₹700.