JKG Healthcare threw samples of Covid patients into drain

JKG Healthcare officials used to throw samples into drains after collecting those from suspected Covid-19 patients. Later, the patients were delivered with fabricated reports, without carrying out any medical tests on their samples.

Humayun Kabir, a former JKG official, revealed this in his confessional statement before the court under the Section-164 of the code of criminal procedure.

Police, in the charge sheet submitted to the court, mentioned JKG Healthcare chairman Sabrina Arif Chowdhury and its chief executive officer (CEO) Ariful Haque Chowdhury as masterminds of the fraud.

After scrutinising the allegations, arguments, and other documents, the court of the chief metropolitan magistrate (CMM) handed down its verdict in the case on Tuesday, sentencing each of the eight accused to 11 years in jail.

Other than Sabrina and her husband, the convicted are Humayun Kabir, Sayeed Chowdhury, Tanzina Patwary, Biplab Das, Shafiqul Islam, and Jebunnesa.

Police had arrested Ariful, Humayun, Tanzina, and three other JKG officials on 23 June, 2020. Humayun and Tanzina gave confessional statements before the CMM court on the next day.

Humayun disclosed their fraudulent activities in detail before the court. Later, police arrested Sabrina Chowdhury on 12 July on allegations of providing fake test reports to the suspected Covid-19 patients.

Meanwhile, a certain Kamal Hossain filed a case with Tejgaon Police Station on the same allegation. Police looked into the allegation and pressed charges against eight JKG officials, including Sabrina, before the court.

The court took the charge sheet to its cognizance and framed charges against the accused on 20 August. Some 26 of total 40 witnesses deposited their testimonies before the court.