[Fake COVID-19 vaccination scams] Conduct meaningful investigation, consider re-vaccinating victims after tests: Bombay High Court to State

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday asked the Maharashtra government to conduct a thorough and meaningful investigation into the fake COVID-19 vaccination scams and to ensure that the responsible persons are properly punished. (Siddharth Chandrashekhar v. Union of India) .A Bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice GS Kulkarni was apprised by Chief Public Prosecutor Deepak Thakare, appearing for the Mumbai Police, that over 2,000 people were administered fake COVID-19 vaccines at 9 separately held private vaccination camps in Mumbai.It was also informed that 7 crimes had been registered after the receipt of information about fake vaccination camps and 12 accused were taken into custody..The Court was also told that an application for anticipatory bail of another accused had been rejected by a Mumbai magistrate on Monday..Expressing its satisfaction at the progress made so far, the Court expressed hope that further investigation will also proceed at a similar pace. "Earnest attempt ought to be made by the investigating officers to ensure persons involved in the scam are taken into custody. We hope that the investigation will be completed as per the procedure at the earliest," the Bench said..CJ Datta also urged Thakare to ensure that an impartial investigation is conducted."This has to be meaningful investigation, irrespective of any colour...you know what I mean. Because lives of citizens were involved, and for that the persons responsible should be punished," CJ Datta said..In an earlier hearing, the Court had asked the State government and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to take notice of fake COVID-19 vaccination scams and to implement a State-wide policy to safeguard citizens against possible future scams..Humanity is suffering, yet people being defrauded: Bombay High Court asks State, BMC to take action against fake COVID-19 vaccination drives.On Tuesday, the Bench asked the authorities what steps were being taken to ensure re-vaccination of the people who had been administered the fake vaccines. When the Court was informed that no tests had been conducted on victims of the scams to find out what they had been administered and the effects of the same, the Court expressed that this amounted to a "State failure". .Meanwhile, Senior Advocate Anil Sakhare, appearing for BMC, informed the Court that a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for holding vaccination camps in housing societies, co-operative societies, educational institutions, etc will be published tomorrow.BMC has been directed to apprise the Court on the measures taken to check the status of the 2,053 persons who received fake vaccinations as well as the measures for their re-vaccination. .The Court has posted the matter for further hearing on July 1, 2021.