Delhi Police has arrested a 22-year-old man for allegedly cheating people, including Delhi Vidhan Sabha Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, on the pretext of offering plasma for treating COVID-19 patients.
The accused, identified as Abdul Karim Rana, pretended to be a doctor and a recovered coronavirus patient, cheated people by taking money for expenses such as travel and then switched off his phone when asked to come. Rana reportedly posed as Dr Rahul Thakur working with the medicine department at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in the capital.
Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel from the ruling Aam Aadmi Party party and member representing the Shahdara constituency of Delhi sought his help as a donor for administering plasma therapy for one of his acquaintances.
Antibody-laden plasma from recovered patients can be used to treat severely-ill Covid-19 patients.
Rana used to get in touch with COVID-19 patients through social media. He allegedly took Rs 950 from each victim and received online payment through apps such as Google Pay or PhonePe.
North District police arrested Rana after Ram Niwas Goel filed an official complaint on June 20.
He has been booked under the charges of cheating at Civil Lines police station and an investigation is still on. Police is suspecting that he might have duped more people by posing as plasma donor.
