Ten members of a gang allegedly selling fake platelets to patients in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, were arrested on Friday, police said. The accused used to procure plasma from different blood banks in the region and then put it in pouches and sell these as platelet pouches, says Senior Superintendent of Police Shailesh Kumar Pandey.
Pandey said the arrests were made following a tip-off. He adds that these fake platelet pouches were found in the possession of the accused and seized. He also said that 12 persons were arrested a few days ago for allegedly supplying blood illegally.
The arrests come in the backdrop of a different case in the city in which a private hospital was allegedly passing off sweet lime (mosambi) juice as platelets to a dengue patient who later died. When asked about this case pertaining to the sealing of the private hospital on Thursday for allegedly transfusing the fruit juice instead of blood platelets to a dengue patient who later died, he said, "During the course of interrogation, it has not been confirmed whether it was a fruit juice in the pouch or something else." "These people sell plasma as platelets. A sample is being sent to a laboratory and a correct picture will emerge only after an examination," the SP said.
A private hospital in Prayagraj was sealed on Thursday for allegedly transfusing fruit juice (Mosambi Juice) instead of blood platelets to a dengue patient who later died, police had said.
After a video of the alleged incident went viral, the district administration swung into action and on the direction of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak sealed the hospital.
The patient, Pradeep Pandey, was shifted to another hospital where he died after his condition deteriorated, officials had said. However, no FIR has been registered at the local police station in connection with the case.
The owner of the private hospital had claimed that the platelets were brought from a different medical facility and the patient developed a reaction after three units were transfused to him.
