Vaccine Scam: Thousands in India Injected With Salt Water After Paying for Fake COVID-19 Vaccine

Indian authorities have arrested 14 people, including doctors and medical workers involved, for condoning alleged vaccination scam that lured thousands of people to have fallen prey.

In the country's western Maharashtra state, senior official Vishal Thakur of the Mumbai police department said that around 12 fake vaccination drives were investigated for giving shots of saline solution to thousands of people who thought they were getting coronavirus vaccines. Thakur said that the fake vaccination camps were injecting saltwater to an estimated 2,500 people, charging them with fees and earning up to $28,000 in total.

"We have arrested doctors," he added. "They were using a hospital which was producing the fake certificates, vials, syringes."

Some people who had gotten the shots on the previous month grew suspicious when they were unable to locate their vaccination certificates on the government's online portal, CoWin.

So far, the people arrested were charged with suspicion of cheating, attempts at culpable homicide, criminal conspiracy, and others.

India Steps Up Vaccination Program

When India spiraled into Covid-19 crisis on the months of April and early June, millions had been infected and tens of thousands were killed in the country, which raised an alarming concern around the world. After cases peaked in May, the infection gradually declined and recovered which helped the Indian government to strengthen their vaccination program, while easing pressure on the worn-out medical system.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a centralized vaccine drive on June in hopes to accelerate the vaccination program which so far benefited more than 62 million people, about 4.5% of the country's population. The fake vaccination drives occurred between late May and early June wherein one took place at a housing society.

"None of our members got any symptoms and also we had to pay in cash," said one of the residents. "At that point of time, we doubted it."

High Court Finds Vaccination Scam 'Shocking'

"The allegations are really shocking," said the Bombay High Court in the filing and asked the authorities to ensure 'innocent individuals are not duped in future'.

According to the police, they had also sealed the Shivam Hospital in Mumbai and arrested its owners, Doctor Shivraj Pataria and his wife Neeta Pataria, for their involvement in the vaccination scam.

The said hospital was an authorized COVID-19 vaccination center, but there was no permission issued for them to hold mass-vaccination camps, which were staged in residential areas. In the investigation, it was suspected that they had refiled used vaccine vials from the hospital which should have been destroyed.

"Many of the accused have confessed that they used saline water," said Vishwas Nangre Patil, Mumbai's joint commissioner of police. Authorities say more people could be arrested as the investigation continues.

So far, data shows that the country's nationwide vaccination program has picked up pace after the devastating second wave of coronavirus infections which crippled the health care services in the country and left people die on the streets.