Bengaluru Police arrest 3 for black marketing hospital beds amid COVID-19 spike

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New Delhi: The Karnataka Police on Wednesday unearthed black marketing of hospital beds at Sadashivnagar police station limits in Bengaluru and arrested three people in connection with the case. 

On May 4, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya alleged that hospitals in the city 'blocked' at least 4,065 beds in fake names to make a killing at a time when COVID-19 cases were rising in the country and Karnataka. These beds are blocked in the name of asymptomatic patients who are in home isolation. They are fraudulently shown as occupying the beds in hospitals, he had alleged.

While levelling the charges, the BJP Yuva Morcha President and Bengaluru South MP had named 16 people of a particular community and sought to know why "they are controlling the COVID war room in the city." A city civic official told PTI that there are over 200 people in the COVID war room and not just 16 as mentioned by the MP.

Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in a series of tweets, slammed Surya for being 'insensitive' and 'communalising' the issue. "It is really unfortunate & insensitive on the part of @BJP4Karnataka MP @Tejasvi_Surya to communalise the issue. From food to death, BJP leaders want to earn political mileage by targeting a few communities," he tweeted.

On Surya's claim that he was aware of the scam 10 days back, the Congress leader demanded to know why he had remained silent since then. "Why was he silent for 10 days? Was he negotiating a deal with BBMP officers? Or was he preparing a script to protect @BJP4Karnataka leaders? Only @Tejasvi_Surya can tell!" Siddaramaiah tweeted. 

He alleged that the 'drama' was staged to protect the image of his political bosses and to make the civic officials and workers as scapegoats. Two people were arrested on Wednesday in connection with the scam, taking the total to four, police said.