Two arrested for issuing fake COVID-19 negative reports

Police have arrested two persons here for allegedly preparing fake COVID-19 negative reports and selling them to people at a high cost, an official said on Tuesday.

The duo was arrested by the Mumbai police's Crime Branch on Monday from Jogeshwari in western suburbs, he said.

Acting on specific information, sleuths from Unit-10 of the Crime Branch raided a 'chawl' (old row tenement) and unearthed the racket, the official said.

The police identified the arrested duo as Bilal Farukh Shaikh (24) and Rashid Shakil Shaikh (32).

Explaining their modus operandi, the official said the accused used to create fake COVID-19 negative certificates by forging the format and original reports of diagnostic labs.

They used to send these forged reports to people via WhatsApp and would receive money through mobile payment apps, the official said.

An FIR under IPC sections related to cheating and forgery, among other charges, has been filed against the duo and further probe was underway, he added.