Seized COVID vaccine vials not Covishield, Serum Institute tells Kolkata Police

Serum Institute has communicated to Kolkata Police that the seized vials with labels of Covishield vaccine in the fake vaccine case in Kolkata was not Covishield vaccine. For further examination, Kolkata Police has sent those vials to Drug Controller for chemical examination.

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New Delhi: Serum Institute has communicated to Kolkata Police that the seized vials with labels of Covishield vaccine in the fake vaccine case in Kolkata were not Covishield vaccine. For further examination, Kolkata Police has sent those vials to Drug Controller for chemical examination.

In June, it was brought to Kolkata Police's attention that a fake vaccination camp was organized by one 28-year-old Debanjan Deb. After his arrest for allegedly setting up dubious inoculation camps in Kolkata, he revealed during an interrogation that he had written to Pune's Serum Institute seeking Covishield vaccines vials. Deb, who had impersonated as a joint commissioner of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, also insisted that he had set up two fake camps in the city, and not multiple ones, as suggested by many quarters, the officer told reporters.

"Sleuths, so far, have unearthed eight bank accounts used by the accused to carry out his criminal activities. Ten others, who worked under him at some point, have been summoned for questioning," the senior officer said.

During the investigation, the police also found out that the 28-year-old used to write letters to various government agencies and "put receipt stamps on those to convince people", he said. The Kolkata Police later slapped attempt-to-murder charge on Deb and three of his associates along with other sections of the IPC.

Actor and Trinamool Congress MP Mimi Chakraborty, who had taken her jab at the Kasba camp set up by Deb, was the first to raise alarm as she did not receive the customary SMS sent by government after inoculation.