Kolkata: Trinamool Congress MP Mimi Chakraborty – who four days ago was tricked into taking a fake Covid vaccine shot by a man masquerading as an IAS officer – fell ill on Saturday, according to a report.
The report said the doctor who attended to Chakraborty – the Lok Sabha representative from Bengal’s Jadavpur – said it was too early to link her illness to the fake vaccine.
Sources close to her family said Chakraborty suffered dehydration and a stomach ache, and that her blood pressure had dipped. She is, however, in stable condition now, they added.
The actress-politician was previously diagnosed with gall bladder and liver-related ailments.
On Wednesday, Debanjan Deb – who allegedly pretended to be an IAS officer and supervised thousands of vaccinations in Kolkata – was arrested.
This was after Chakraborty was administered a vaccine at one his camps.
The Trinamool leader said she agreed to attend Deb’s ‘camp’ – which he claimed was being organised by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation – and get vaccinated to encourage people to get the shot.
She said she became suspicious after failing to receive a confirmation message from CoWIN – the centre’s digital vaccination portal that tracks and certifies every vaccination in the country.
Police have said Deb injected people with an antibiotic – Amikacin – instead of the vaccine and without checking if they were allergic to any particular drugs; an adverse reaction could have proved fatal.
Debanjan Deb may now charged with attempt to murder-a charge called for by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who instructed the Kolkata Police Commissioner to hunt down all involved.
Three others have been arrested as well – two for forging signatures to open bank accounts, and a third for taking an active part in the vaccination camps. All three will be produced in court today.
Police have also filed three additional cases – for cheating people of almost Rs. 1 crore.
Pointing to photos of Deb with Trinamool leaders, the opposition BJP has called for a CBI probe.
A similar scam was unearthed in Mumbai, where around 2000 people were apparently given saline, or salt water, instead of Covid vaccines. Ten people have been arrested and multiple cases filed.
