KATHMANDU: The Immigration Department has barred as many as 122 people from flying abroad at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) on suspicion of fake PCR reports.

The people were sent back from the TIA by the Department on suspicion of carrying fake PCR reports that they obtained from the Sinamangal-based Sooriya Health Care.

“We asked them to return from the airport since they were suspected of obtaining fake PCR reports,” said Jhanknath Dhakal, director of the Immigration Department.

Among those who were asked to return had booked the air tickets of Jazira Air, Air Arabia, and Salaam Air, Dhakal said.

It has been revealed that Sooriya Health Care had been selling COVID-19 negative reports without taking swabs.

According to Metropolitan Crime Division (MCD), Kathmandu, Health Care had been providing fake COVID-19 negative reports without tests by charging Rs 9,000 per report.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of MCD raided the clinic and confiscated fake COVID-19 test reports, and took the racketeers under control.

A total of eight individuals including Managing Director of Health Care Lekhananda Prasad Singh along with the computers used in the laboratory have been taken under control, said police.

“Sooriya Health Care is found to have been providing fake COVID-19 negative reports without taking swabs for Rs 9,000 per report. This is a height of negligence from the point of human health,” said SP Krishna Prasad Pangeni of the MCD.

Pangeni said Health Care has also been issuing COVID-19 reports to foreign job aspirants.

Police said they are carrying out an investigation into the case.