Staff Reporter: A health worker from West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district was arrested on Saturday on suspicions of running illegal Covid-19 vaccination camps in the state, according to a police officer.
The arrest came a month after a person was arrested for allegedly faking an IAS officer and organising a vaccination camp in Kolkata’s Kasba area, where actor and Trinamool Congress MP Mimi Chakraborty also had her vaccination.
Ms Chakraborty, who was invited to the camp, said she became suspicious about the vaccination process after not getting the standard SMS issued to everyone after they are given a shot, and she notified the police.
Those who were vaccinated at the arrested man’s Sonarpur camps allegedly did not receive any text messages or certificates and alerted the police to the authorities.
The culprit was arrested on Saturday at a house in Sonarpur’s Rupnagar area where he was organising another camp, according to the officer.
The police found that he charged ₹ 300-400 from individuals for vaccinating them and he has inoculated at least 40 to 50 people so far.
According to preliminary investigations, the arrested guy worked as a vaccination coordinator at a health sub-centre in Masat, Bankura district, and at a primary healthcare centre in Diamond Harbour, South 24 Parganas district.
“He quit his job (at Masat) and went to Sonarpur to work as a coordinator,” the police officer said.
He is suspected of stealing Covid-19 vaccine vials and using them to inoculate others while working there,” he claimed.
A few of the accused’s vials were seized and sent for chemical test to ensure whether or not the vaccines were genuine.
Another person who has been supporting the accused in organising the camps is being sought by the authorities.