Fake Vaccination Camp Case: Calcutta High Court Directs State To File Report

The accused was arrested by the Kolkata police following complaints of conducting fake vaccination camps masquerading as an IAS officer. More than 800 people, including ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mimi Chakraborty, are suspected to have been injected with the antibiotic Amikacin instead of Covid-19 vaccine at the fake vaccination camps organized by the accused, according to the Kolkata Police. The State government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the matter.

The Bench was hearing a batch of PILs seeking an independent investigation by a central agency into the matter.

Questioning the State government on how the accused could move around with impunity using a blue beacon on his car, the Court observed,

"Learned counsel for the State shall also apprise the Court about the misuse of blue and red lights in the State of West Bengal on the vehicles totally in violation of law."

The State government has been directed to file the aforementioned affidavit before the next date of hearing is slated to take place on July 2.

About the plea

The petitioner is the Vice President of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha and an Advocate Practising before the Calcutta High Court who has alleged that in West Bengal, the vaccines are not available in Government hospitals but they are available in several private hospitals and vaccination camps which are being organized by Clubs, societies and some leaders of TMC.

Further, the plea avers that there appears to be serious doubt about the distribution policy and that the free vaccines which were being provided by the Central Government for free of costs are being transferred to private hospitals and other organizations named above illegally.

The plea refers to an alleged fake vaccine racket busted in Kolkata wherein the Police arrested one Debanjan Dev who was imposing himself as an IAS officer.

The plea alleges that the MP of Jadavpur, Mimi Chakraborty attended h vaccination camp organized by one Debanjan Deb and she took her first dose from the said camp

"Investigation unfolded that the said Debanjan Deb was running fake vaccination drive at a place close to Kasba Police Station. From media reports, people came to know that such a camp did not have any permission. It is impossible to organize such camp during the lockdown and that too without the help of Police and High Profile leaders of the ruling party of West Bengal," the plea submits.

The plea goes on to allege that there is a possibility of an administration being run parallel to that of the government of West Bengal by a consortium of influential people connected to corridors of power under the aegis of a particular political party being the ruling political party of West Bengal cannot be ruled out.

Apart from this, the petitioner has expressed his apprehension that the police authority will not be able to investigate the matter properly as names of some ministers of State of West Bengal, Kolkata Municipal Corporation and some high profile leaders of All India Trinamool congress are associated with this case.

Therefore, the Petitioner has urged for a fair and impartial investigation of the present crime, so that the perpetrators of the crime can be booked and punished strictly in accordance with law and This is an appropriate case that demands investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Prayers in the plea

• Direct the police authority to handover the files of the cases pertaining to the vaccine scam case and cases involving Debanjan Deb to the Central Bureau of Investigation for free, fair and proper investigation;
• Direct the media houses who have been added as party respondents in this petition to protect the original video files regarding this case and produce them before this Hon'ble Court

Petitioner in person - Tarunjyoti Tewari

Lead Counsel - Bilwadal Bhattacharya

AOR - Saket Sharma