Varanasi STF bust gang making fake Covishield, ZyCoV-D vaccines; five arrested

Acting on a tip-off, the field unit of the Special Task Force has busted a gang involved in the manufacturing of fake Covishield and ZyCoV-D vaccines as well as Covid testing kits. Five members of the gang were arrested from Rohit Nagar locality in the Lanka area of UP's Varanasi.

Varanasi:UP's Special Task Force (STF)on Thursday claimed to have busted a gang involved in the manufacturing of fake Covishield and ZyCoV-D vaccines as well as testing kits. Besides, the STF also seized spurious material worth Rs 4 crore from their possession, which was being used for the production of the fake vaccines.

According to STF, the arrested persons have been identified as Rakesh Thawani- a resident of Dhanshri Complex, Sandeep Sharma- a resident of Pathani Tola Chowk, Lakshya Java- a resident of Malviyanagar in New Delhi, Shamsher- a resident of Nagpur's Rasra Baliya and Arunesh Vishwakarma- a resident of Bauliya Lahartara locality in Varanasi.

Fake Covid testing kits, Covishield and ZyCoV-D vaccines, packing machine, empty vials and swab sticks were recovered from the possession of arrested persons. They are being further interrogated, said the STF.

It was during interrogation that Rakesh Thawani confessed to the STF, revealing that he along with Sandeep Sharma, Arunesh Vishwakarma and Shamsher were involved in the manufacturing of fake vaccines and testing kits. These spurious Covishield and ZyCoV-D vaccines were then supplied to Lakshya Java for its distribution to networks spread in several other states of the country, the STF added.