After TMC MP Mimi raises alarm, man arrested for running fake vaccination camp

KOLKATA: Police have arrested a man for allegedly impersonating as an IAS officer and organising a COVID-19 vaccination camp in the city's Kasba area, where actor and Trinamool Congress MP Mimi Chakraborty also got her jab. The accused had claimed that the vaccination camp was being organised by Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC)

The MP was in doubt after being inoculated as she did not receive the customary SMS that is sent to people after they are administered a dose. Moreover, she was asked to wait for a few days to get the vaccination certificate.

"I was told that the message will come soon and the certificate will be sent to my home. When my staff went to the camp again and demanded the certificate, they were told that it would come after 3 to 4 days. Then, I raised an alarm and informed police about something unusual," said Chakraboty.

Meanwhile, Firhad Hakim, Chairman, Board of Administrators of the KMC said: "Police inquiry is being conducted. Strict action will be taken against the guilty. The vaccination camp was conducted without the approval of the Health department and Commissioner."

The sample of the vaccine dose has been sent to laboratory to ascertain its components. Swasthya Bhavan has asked for a report from the Kasba police station in this regard. The accused, identified as Debanjan Deb of Anandapur—who has been sent to police custody till June 29—used to tell people that he was an IAS officer and currently posted as the Joint Commissioner of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC).

Since the last ten days, he had been organising a vaccination camp at the UCO bank building where Deb had hired a place. Chakraborty was called a few days ago and requested to be present at the vaccination camp on Tuesday in which third gender and specially-abled people would be vaccinated. It has also been alleged that Deb used to bring a large number of people for vaccination and even compelled the local shopkeepers to get their jabs at the camp. They were told that the vaccine used was Covishield but none of the beneficiaries received any message or certificate after vaccination.

Police have seized a car, fitted with the blue beacon, which Deb used for travelling. Sources said Deb had also duped several job aspirants.