Paradip: Police Friday busted a racket allegedly involved in issuing fake COVID-19 negative certificates to local people in Paradip, many of whom work at Paradip Oil Refinery. Police have arrested one in this connection.
According to a source, police have arrested Kalandi Tarai, a resident of Dalimipur area of Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district. He was running a photocopy centre, located barely 200 metres from Abhachandpur station in Paradip.
Tarai and some of his other accomplices were earlier issuing fake COVID-19 negative certificates to people for Rs 300 to Rs 400. Later, he reduced the price to as low as Rs 30 each.
According to a source, negative COVID-19 report has been made mandatory for labourers and staff working at Paradip Oil Refinery to access entry into the refinery.
As getting a negative report from medical is a time-consuming affair. Tarai had been providing fake COVID-19 negative reports to those who needed it. Moreover, he was also forging the signature of a doctor posted at the CHC on the report. And to make it appear original, he was also using a rubber stamp quite similar to the one being used by the doctor.
A doctor posted at Paradip CHC somehow came to know about this and immediately informed Abhaychandpur police Friday. Later, ASP Nimain Sethy and IIC Jugal Kishore Das raided the kiosk and arrested the accused.
PNN
