Police nabs 12 people for running fake RT-PCR certificate racket
The Puri Police has registered three cases and arrested 12 persons on charges of running a fake RT-PCR certificate racket that provided forged documents to people for getting entry into Shree Jagannath temple in Puri. While two cases were registered at Singhadwar police station, another case is lodged at Kumbharpada police station in the pilgrim town in a span of a fortnight.
Two of the accused persons belonged to Madhya Pradesh
An inquiry was conducted after getting input that few devotees are trying to enter the temple by showing fake RT-PCR test certificates. The Singhadwar Police Station has arrested four accused persons of whom two belonged to Madhya Pradesh while the remaining two belonged to Puri town. One more accused is absconding, said police.
Kumbharpada Police Station nabbed three accused, including one devotee
Similarly, the Kumbharpada Police Station nabbed three accused persons including one devotee who used the fake RT-PCR certificate. In the third case, the Singhadwar Police Station nabbed five accused persons including a devotee who used a fake RT-PCR test report. The four others are gang members including the mastermind and prime accused. All the four belong to Puri, they said.
Stern action will be taken against the accused: Police
The police said that stern action will be taken against the accused persons and appealed to people to desist from taking help from the racket when coming for the darshan of Lord Jagannath. It is mandatory for devotees visiting the temple to produce the final certificate of COVID-19 vaccination or COVID-19 negative certificate (RT-PCR) of testing done within 96 hours prior to their visit.
