The question of the authenticity of their vaccination came up after they started receiving certificates from centres that were not supposed to be involved in the inoculation programme, along with incorrect dates.
Around 400 residents of Hiranandani Heritage society in Mumbai’s Kandivali claimed recently to have been duped by fraudsters who allegedly supplied them fake vaccines.
The question of the authenticity of their vaccination came up after they started receiving certificates from centres that were not supposed to be involved in the inoculation programme, along with incorrect dates.
-We were later told that the jab was given by a Shivam Hospital, while some said it was from a private agent.
-Another point of doubt is that not a single member showed any side effects of the vaccine. Not 1 out of 400?— Neha Alshi (@neha_alshi) June 14, 2021
The management committee of Hiranandani Heritage had arranged a Covid vaccination drive for its residents and their in-house staff, including the security guards, drivers and domestic help, on May 30. The society has 435 flats, comprising three residential towers.
The residents said that a facilitator, Rajesh Pandey, who claimed to be a sales representative from Kokilaben Hospital, negotiated with them for providing 400 vaccine doses on their society premises.
A total of 390 people got inoculated in the drive. But they weren’t registered on the centralised Co-WIN portal, as per the rules. After a week or so, the beneficiaries received messages about their vaccination certificates. But to their surprise, they were issued certificates from two private hospitals— Nanavati Max Super Speciality and Lifeline hospitals — and the civic-run NESCO jumbo centre, Goregaon, which does not even hold vaccination in societies.
“We didn’t know the rules that on-the-spot registration is compulsory while taking the jab. So, we didn’t demand for spot registration on the Co-WIN portal. After seven-eight days, the beneficiaries started getting calls, seeking the Co-WIN registration OTP received on their phones. Then they received messages of the certificates,” said a resident from the society whose 34-year-old son took the jab, as per Hindustan Times. But when he downloaded his vaccination certificate, Nanavati Hospital was mentioned as the vaccinator. “In fact, his date of vaccination is recorded as June 12, which again indicates a spurious activity,” he added.
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The police and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) are investigating the matter as all the three hospitals and a centre have denied their involvement with the camp. According to residents of Hiranandani Heritage, they were charged ₹1,260 per dose of Covishield, which they said saw no side effects for any of the beneficiaries. A complaint has been filed by the residents at Kandivli police station.
Dr Santosh Shetty, chief executive officer of Kokilaben Hospital, told the Hindustan Times, “I am aware of the incident. But we don’t know anyone who got in touch with us for the vaccination. We aren’t filing a police complaint so far as the certificates issued to the beneficiaries don’t mention the name of our hospital.”
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