Police have sealed off two healthcare institutes in Kathmandu valley for their involvement in providing fake PCR reports to Nepali migrant workers heading to Gulf countries.
Central Police Spokesperson and Information Officer for Nepal Police, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Basanta Bahadur Kunwar said security personnel have busted the racketeers and also sealed Sinamangal-based Sooriya Healthcare Pvt Ltd and Merit Multicare Centres.
A total of 122 passengers bound for Gulf countries through Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) on Wednesday were denied permission to travel after their PCR test report were found to be fake. Healthcare staff involved in producing fake PCR reports were detained earlier on Tuesday for fleecing Rs 9,000 per person. At least eight staff working in those healthcare centres were arrested for producing fake PCR test reports that claimed that the report cardholders had tested negative in their PCR test against Covid-19.
Authorities had stopped all the passengers from boarding the flight on Wednesday.
Of the passengers, 54 were going to board the flight of Air Arabia bound for Sharjah (UAE), 32 on Salam Air bound for Oman and 36 others on Jazeera Airways bound for Kuwait.
All the passengers were taken into police custody at Gaushala-based Metropolitan Police Circle and later released the same day, SSP Kunwar informed said and added that the authorities have been working closely with the District COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre to check any untoward activities regarding the PCR reports.
Meanwhile, the concerned airline companies are yet to decide about managing the passengers for a re-flight, police informed.
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