Bengaluru city and overall Karnataka state are facing difficulties with an increase in the number of Covid19 cases. There is a shortage of oxygen cylinders, medicinal drugs and beds in the hospital. Some are now taking advantage of the vulnerable situation and are using it to dupe patients and their families.

The Bengaluru police recently brought to light, a bed-blocking scam. They arrested a social worker and her nephew in relation to this case. The police feel these two have contacts with BBMP war room staff and hence were able to carry out the scam. The accused would take a high amount from the family in the pretext of allotting them a hospital bed.

BJP legislators brought the scam to light. Bangalore South BJP MP Tejasvi Surya and MLAs Satish Reddy, Ravi Subramanya, and Uday Garudachar were the ones who alerted the officials. While the Jayanagar police made the arrest. It was a large scale scam, so the police handed over the case to Central Crime Branch police.

The accused were identified as Nethravathy (40) and Rohith Kumar (22), residents of Begur. The scam came out in the open after the police conducted a sting operation. A team of officials went as a family of a Covid patient asking for a bed. For this, the two asked around 20,000 to 40,000 rupees. The amount can defer depending on the spending capacity and financial status of a person.

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It all started with WhatsApp messages. The accused would spread messages claiming they can arrange beds for a Covid patient. Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Harish Pandey said that the accused might have been in touch with the BBMP war room. Along with this, chances are that even some of the private hospitals were involved in this scam. The police are investigating this angle now.

Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Kamal Pant added that a case was registered in the Jayanagar police station. It was later handed over to the Central Crime Branch for further investigation. The police confirmed that anyone found cheating or committing such fraud will be immediately arrested.