Probe ordered Into Allegations Of Fake Covid Reports In Uttarakhand During Kumbh

A committee has been constituted to look into the allegations of fake Covid reports issued by private labs engaged by the Uttarakhand government during the Kumbh Mela in April.

The Haridwar district administration has ordered a probe into allegations that fake Covid reports were issued by private laboratories engaged by the Uttarakhand government to conduct tests during the Kumbh Mela. One of the world's largest religious gatherings, the Kumbh was held in the state from April 1 to 30, and the notified Kumbh area covered various places in Haridwar, Dehradun and Tehri districts. A committee headed by Chief Development Officer Saurabh Gaharwar has been constituted to look into the allegations and submit a report within 15 days, Haridwar District Magistrate C Ravishankar said on Saturday. Payment to all labs which had been assigned the responsibility of conducting tests -- RT-PCR and rapid antigen -- during the Kumbh has been withheld for the time being due to the ongoing investigation, Mr Ravishankar said.