On Saturday an audio clip surfaced where an activist is heard enquiring about the cost to get his son vaccinated. A lady, reportedly from AV Hospital in Bengaluru’s Basavanagudi, is found revealing details about paying Rs 700 as a commission (per dose) to Karnataka MLA Ravi Subramanya, reported The Quint
BJP MLA from Basavanagudi, Bangalore, and uncle of MP Tejasvi Surya, Ravi Subramanya has been accused of profiteering with Covid-19 vaccines in the midst of the pandemic. The Congress party has demanded the arrest of both.
On Saturday, 29 May, an audio clip surfaced on social media where a social worker HM Venkatesh is enquiring about the cost to get his son vaccinated. A lady, reportedly from AV Hospital in Bengaluru’s Basavanagudi, is found revealing details about paying Rs 700 as a commission (per dose) to Karnataka MLA Ravi Subramanya, reported The Quint
As per the audio, when the staff member is asked why the vaccine costs that much, Venkatesh is told to approach a Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) vaccine center for a free vaccine. The staff member does not revert when she is told that vaccines are not available there. Vasavi hospital is situated in the Kumaraswamy Layout area of Bengaluru and BJP MP Tejasvi Surya has been promoting this vaccination, calling it a major drive to help the people of South Bengaluru.
Addressing a press conference, Congress leader Pawan Khera and Srinivas V alleged that in the “leaked audio” a person from the said hospital “can be heard telling a patient that the price of the Covid-19 vaccine cannot be less than Rs 900 since Rs 700 has to go to Ravi Subramanya”.
Meanwhile, India Today reported that the activist has filed a police complaint against Tejasvi Surya and Ravi Subramanya.
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The private hospital has denied the charge and issued a statement saying that the vaccination drive in the hospital was not connected to the MLA. “It is clarified that the vaccination drive in the hospital is an independent activity of the Hospital and the Honourable MLA has no connection with it. The vaccines are procured by the hospital and are administered to people by charging the government prescribed rate,” the hospital’s statement said.
Ravi Subramanya denied the allegations. “Certain miscreants have used my name in an allegation about COVID-19 vaccine charges through an audio recording. I visited the ‘AV Multispeciality hospital’ at Hosakerehalli, where this incident was highlighted in the audio to meet those who have intentionally acclaimed these charges,” he said.
Certain miscreants have used my name in an allegation about COVID Vaccine charges through an audio recording. Visited the 'AV Multispeciality hospital' at Hosakerahalli, where this incident was highlighted in the audio to meet those who have intentionally acclaimed these charges. pic.twitter.com/dWwqhtwKzj
— Ravi Subramanya L. A | ರವಿ ಸುಬ್ರಮಣ್ಯ ಎಲ್. ಎ (@Ravi_LA) May 29, 2021
“It is a shame that these miscreants have indulged in such transgression when the world is working towards a common good to help each other during the pandemic. The couple who have colluded should be chastened so that the public is not misguided, with false claims,” he added.
Ravi Subramanya is the uncle of Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya and recently, he was alongside Tejasvi Surya during the press conference held about the BBMP bed allocation scam. He was also present during the MP’s raid of the BBMP South War Room and during the raid, he demanded to know, “Have you hired people to a madrassa or a corporation?”.
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