MUMBAI: A doctor couple are the latest to be arrested in the fraudulent vaccine scam in Mumbai, taking total arrests to 10.
Dr Shivraj and Dr Neeta Pataria run Shivam Hospital in Kandivali and have been allegedly involved in supplying vaccines for all the bogus camps.
Police have also found that the total number of such camps can go up to 11.
“Only one crime syndicate is involved in all these camps.
We have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to head the probe as the case is spanning two police commissionerates,” said joint commissioner, law and order, Vishwas Nangre Patil.
Based on the statement of one of the accused, the police believe that saline water could have been injected to people during the bogus camps.
“We are yet to conclude for certain if the vaccines were adulterated,” added Nangre Patil.
The police will add stringent sections such as section 308 IPC (attempt to commit culpable homicide) to build a watertight case against the accused.
All the camps under the scanner were conducted between April 28 and June 6.
“We have seized a sum of Rs 12.40 lakh and a vehicle used for ferrying vaccines to the camp.
The bank accounts of key accused Mahendra Singh and Dr Manish Tripathi have been freezed,” said Nangre Patil.
Statements of 200 people have been recorded.