Arma lab in Valanchery swindled Rs 50 lakhs by distributing fake COVID negative certificates: Police

Malappuram: A private laboratory in Valanchery has swindled lakhs of Rupees by distributing fake COVID certificates, police said. 

Arma laboratory collected samples from 2,500 people for testing. The samples collected from the lab are taken to a micro laboratory in Kozhikode for testing.

However, it has been revealed that Arma laboratory only handed over the samples of 500 people for testing. Arma laboratory distributed fake COVID negative certificates to the remaining 2,000 samples without conducting tests.

Arma laboratory collected Rs 2,750 from each person for the test. Police stated that the laboratory collected Rs 50 lakhs through the scam. 

Police found out that Arma laboratory did not follow the guidelines while collecting samples. One of the employees even stated that the samples of many people were collected in a single test tube.

Police have not been able to arrest Arma lab owner Sunil Babu and the employees as they have tested positive for the virus. 

Many people who went abroad using the COVID negative certificate issued by Arma laboratory later tested positive. Police started the investigation based on the complaint filed by the micro lab in Kozhikode and those who underwent the tests from Arma laboratory.

Out of 100 samples, Arma laboratory only sent 20 to 25 samples for testing on average. The remaining samples were destroyed in the lab. Later, COVID negative certificates were prepared using a fake letter pad of the micro lab and distributed, said Valanchery Circle Inspector. 

The CI also stated that those who underwent COVID tests at Arma lab should contact the Valanchery police station.