Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s (DMP) Detective Branch (DB) has found discrepancies in the results of 1,925 Covid-19 tests performed by JKG Health Care in a case filed against the organization for issuing fake reports to patients while throwing out actual test samples.
DB’s Additional Commissioner Abdul Baten confirmed the matter during a press briefing at DMP media center on Thursday.
“We have sent JKG's computer and other machineries to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for forensic examination. They contained data from 13,585 Covid-19 sample collections,” he said.
“We have completed the investigation of the JKG corona fraud case. We will be able to submit the charge sheet soon.”
He also said that CID forensics found discrepancies in 1,925 test results.
“Some of the samples may not have been sent to the laboratory. It has also been reported that some people, who came to perform tests, were simply asked about their symptoms and then issued reports,” he said.
JKG sent the fabricated reports to clients through a fake email server, added Baten.
The DB official said that JKG is not a listed group of companies. So, those involved in its operations were able to use titles at will, such as Dr. Sabrina using the title of chairman.
“In fact, JKG obtained their trade license from the City Corporation two months after signing the agreement with the department of health. It is not a joint stock company,” he added.
Asked whether the issue of the contract with the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) would be included in the charge sheet, the DB chief said: "We will mention the irregularities in the charge sheet."
JKG Health Care, run by Ariful Haque Chowdhury and his wife Dr Sabrina Arif Chowdhury, was realizing money from the suspected patients for Covid-19 tests despite inking a deal with the government to conduct them free of cost.
The fraud company was even faking the signatures and seals of government agencies in making forged coronavirus test reports while throwing away the samples taken from suspected patients.