Patiala: 'Fake' entries made to jack up vaccination count

Karam Prakash

Patiala, February 25

To jack up the Covid vaccination count, the Patiala Health Department has allegedly made multiple fake entries into the CoWIN portal through the contact numbers that were either “out of service” or invalid. This modus operandi, to enter fake vaccination entries, was reportedly used after getting a go-ahead from senior officials.

Will enquire

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I will ask the Health Department about it. — Sandeep Hans, Deputy Commissioner

Not aware of it

I am not aware of any such development. The Health Department has not indulged in any such practice. — Dr Veenu Goyal, District Immunisation officer

The Tribune discovered that officials first identified invalid or out of service mobile numbers of beneficiaries. Thereafter, multiple fake entries on a single contact number were reportedly made on the vaccination portal without administering the shots.

Since, the mobile numbers were invalid, the beneficiaries, whose credentials were used, never came to know about the fake entries. Insiders said details of the data of beneficiaries were gathered from other government departments. It has been learned any random 10-digit number can be used as a mobile number for making entries.

A health official said, “The CoWIN portal software does not check whether the number entered is that of a mobile phone or not. Taking advantage of this, invalid mobile numbers were used and the other data was entered from random voter identity cards.”

After the fake entries, a significant difference was observed between the online data (on the portal) and offline data, maintained by the Health Department.

Dr Veenu Goyal, District Immunisation Officer, said, “I am not aware of such development. The department has not indulged in any such practice.” Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Hans also said he was not aware of the matter and would ask Health Department about it.