In RT-PCR test records dated October 27, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, AICC president Sonia Gandhi, former AICC president Rahul Gandhi, and actresses Priyanka Chopra and Akshay Kumar were listed as having tested negative for Covid.
The state Health Department has taken notice of the situation and has suspended two data operators for the major error. “The government has brought to justice those guilty of data falsification,” Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey said, adding that senior health officials should keep an eye on Covid test records. “We have taken the Arwal data tampering very seriously and have taken action against the perpetrators.” “We’ve ordered officials to keep an eye out for any abnormalities,” Pandey added.
In February of this year, a private TV news programme discovered significant Covid data tampering in Jamui, Sheikhoura, and Bhagalpur districts, which revealed incorrect identities, unconnected cell phone numbers, and even 10 zeros against the contact number. The state government then placed nine health department staff on leave.
While the name of Modi was recorded three times in the Arwal district’s Covid test data records, ‘Amit Shah’ was shown to have tested twice on October 27. On the same day, the names of actress Priyanka Chopra and former Bihar Congress president Ram Jatan Sinha were mentioned six times apiece. While actor Akshay Kumar has been named four times, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have each been referenced once. The mobile numbers of local or Patna residents have been provided in every case.
The phone numbers of those who had gone for Covid immunisation could have been exploited by the data operators, according to a health department source. The official stated, “It amounts to serious negligence on the side of data operators.”
“Arwal data indicates full disdain and sense of fearlessness of the system,” Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, the state’s Leader of Opposition, said. Despite media allegations, the Covid data manipulation could not be verified.”
Following a series of investigations by The Indian Express in February, RJD’s Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha addressed the subject of data falsification. The Bihar administration had also been asked to submit a report to the Centre.
