Covid-19 Test: 3 arrested for selling fake certificates

Detectives arrested two health directorate employees and a woman in Rajshahi on charges of forging negative coronavirus test certificates and selling those to people who tested positive for the virus.

Rafiqul Islam, 42, an ambulance driver at Rajshahi Tuberculosis Hospital, and his wife Shamsunnahar Shikha, 38, were arrested at their house in Wabda Kolabagan area of the city on Wednesday, officials told a press conference yesterday.

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Tarek Ahsan, 41, an office assistant at Rajshahi Civil Surgeon's office, was arrested yesterday morning after the couple told investigators that they were led into the forgery racket by him.

Officers are looking for four other suspects involved in the racket.

Detective Branch Deputy Commissioner Arefin Jewel said the suspects used blank government forms to make the certificates.

People travelling out of the country and those working in certain offices are required to show proof of negative tests.

The suspects used to sell each certificate for between Tk 3,000 and Tk 15,000, the officer said.

Rafiqul and his wife Shamsunnahar used to collect the list of people who got tested for coronavirus. Then they called the individuals who tested positive and asked whether they needed a negative certificate.

If the individual happened to be someone willing to spend money for a negative certificate, the suspects then started negotiating the price of a certificate.

They used to receive the payment via mobile banking services.

Tarek was the one who prepared the fake certificates and gave those to the duo.

The DB has found evidence of 30 fake certificates given in the last four months mostly to people leaving the country.

Officers said the suspects have been engaged in forgery since March last year.

The officers seized about 100 blank Covid-19 test certificates from their possession.