Mumbai police arrest key accused Rajesh Pandey in fake vaccination scam

Rajesh Pandey, named in multiple FIRs, is accused of using his identity as an employee of Kokilaben Ambani Hospital and swindling money from people in a bogus vaccination drive.

The Kandivali police traced and arrested Rajesh Pandey, a former marketing executive of Kokilaben Ambani Hospital, from Baramati on Wednesday in connection with a bogus vaccination drive and he will be brought back to Mumbai by Thursday evening. Dilip Sawant, additional commissioner, north region, confirmed the development.

The hospital terminated his services after his name had cropped up in the bogus vaccination drive that took place on May 30 in Hiranandani heritage society in Kandivali (west) for 390 residents.

On June 14, the matter came to light after a resident tweeted that they did not suffer any side-effects and many did not get vaccination certificates. Those who got certificates issued from the CoWIN app with Nanavati hospital, Lifeline hospital and NESCO as centres said theirs were forged. Pandey is said to have misused the hospital’s name to win their trust.

In the 10th FIR registered on Wednesday by Amboli police, Pandey is being seen as the main accused. On June 3, he collected Rs 2.94 lakh and on June 4 conducted the drive vaccinating 218 people from the KWAN company. “None of them received a certificate. Pandey is the main accused as he approached the victims. There are more accused whose role is being investigated,” said Someshwar Kamthe, senior inspector of Amboli police station.

Apart from Kandivali and Amboli, his name has cropped up in three more drives at Versova, Borivali and Khar. Pandey had approached the Dindoshi sessions court last month for anticipatory bail but it was rejected.

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