Mumbai crime branch on Monday arrested two men for issuing fake COVID-19 negative reports. The accused used to send these fake reports via WhatsApp and accepted payments through an online payment platform said Mumbai crime branch officials.
The accused identified as Bilal Farukh Shaikh, 24, and Rashid Shakil Shaikh, 32, were arrested after officials from Unit-10 of the crime branch received specific information about persons issuing fake COVID-19 negative reports through their mobile phone from a plot in Jogeshwari (East).
A team of crime branch officials raided the plot and found that the accused used to alter COVID-19 reports given out by laboratories like Krsnaa Diagnostics and Life Care Diagnostics using software on their mobile phone and laptops.
"Bilal would alter the reports and forge it and would send it to Rashid. Rashid would forward the report to the recipient. Rashid then accepted money through Google Pay," said police inspector Kiran Londhe.
The accused charged anywhere between ₹800 to ₹1000 from the recipients and police are trying to ascertain the number of fake reports that has been issued. Police have seized the laptop, mobile phones of the accused and have registered a case against them at Meghwadi police station for cheating (section 420), forgery (section 465, 468, 471) and common intention.
