Ulhasnagar, May 8: A day after the arrest of Manish Keswani, 40, a contractor for packing swab test sticks in unhygienic conditions in Ulhasnagar slums. The Ulhasnagar police on further investigation have arrested two people including a CEO and head of the department of a medical equipment supplier firm of Thane.
The police said the arrested accused are identified as Abhishek Sen, 35, the Chief Executive Officer and Kalpesh Hegade, 32, head of the department. The duo is based with Biosense technology private limited a medical equipment supplier firm in Wagle Estate, Thane. "We have arrested both of them on Saturday. They were produced in court on Saturday and remanded in police custody till May 13," said Rajendra Kadam, senior police inspector, Ulhasnagar police station.
Kadam further added after arresting Manish Keswani, the main accused, they started investigating the supply and contract of the swab test stick. "During investigation, we found Keswani had a contract with Biosense technology private limited. He was given the contract to pack the swab test stick following safety norms. But Keswani was packing it in Ulhasnagar slum for children and women. We found negligence from the two including CEO and HOD. After giving the contract they didn't check the status or the condition in which the sticks were packed. So for negligence we have arrested them," added Kadam.
After the videos of women and children packing swab sticks in unhygienic conditions without following the pandemic norms went viral. The Food and Drugs Administration along with local police conducted a raid in the slum and seized all the material. Accordingly, a case was registered against him by complainant Vilas Taskhedkar, 57, police inspector, FDA on Wednesday. Taskhedkar had registered a case at Ulhasnagar police station under section 188, 202, 269, 270, 336, 420, 465, 487, and 488 of the Indian Penal Code and sections of the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897.
The police found the swab test kit is named 'Boiswab'. The police are further checking if the Bioswab was an authentic thing or the firm was preparing any duplicate thing. "We are checking if the sticks were supplied in hospitals and other parts of the city. Further we are also investigating who all are involved and the syndicate behind the packing and making," said a police officer.
