Bengaluru Police Bust Vaccine Blackmarketing Racket, Free Vaccines Sold Outside PHC

Due to shortage of COVID vaccines, police got a tip off on a doctor at a primary health care centre (PHC) is running a vaccination racket.

Dr. Pushpita, who works at the Manjunathanagar PHC, has been accused of diverting vaccine doses from the clinic to her aide Prema's home in ITI Layout. Dr Pushpita visited Prema's house every evening to vaccinate people while vaccine seekers were turned away at the PHC. She demanded at least Rs 500 from them. According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, the racket had been going on since April 23. 

B N Lohith, an Annapoorneshwari Nagar police inspector, received a tip off about the illegal vaccination and pretended to be a vaccine seeker when he went to Prema's house. The information turned out to be correct. Dr. Pushpita and Prema were arrested on the spot. 

Prema's house was raided by police and they found a few used and unused vials, a frozen vaccination carrier, and syringes. Furthermore, police are doing investigations to know whether anyone else was involved in the illegal vaccination.