More than 2,000 people have been administered fake Covid vaccines at camps in Mumbai so far, the Maharashtra government told Bombay High Court on Thursday.

The state government’s counsel, chief public prosecutor Deepak Thakare, told the court that at least nine such camps had been held.

The state government also submitted before a bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G.S. Kulkarni a status report on the ongoing probe.

The government said police had recorded the statements of 400 witnesses and the investigators were in the process of finding the whereabouts of a doctor. The doctor had allegedly been present at a fake vaccine camp at a housing society in Kandivali.

“At least 2,053 people fell victim to these fake vaccination camps. Four FIRs have been registered in relation to these camps. While some accused persons have been identified, several unknown persons, too, have been booked in these FIRs,” Thakare said.

The court said the government must take measures to get the victims tested for any ill-effects caused by the fake vaccines. “Our anxiety is, what happens to these people who were vaccinated? What were they administered and what is the effect of these fake vaccines?” the court asked.

The bench also took exception to the fact that the state government was yet to come up with specific guidelines for vaccination camps organised by private housing societies, offices, etc, despite a court order earlier this month.

“This is very very urgent. We had expected the state would come up with SOPs immediately. Time is of essence here, you (state) can’t delay,” the court said.

The bench also asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to inform the court about the steps it proposes to take to check the possible adverse effects on the health of the people administered the fake vaccines.

The BMC counsel, senior advocate Anil Sakhre, said the civic body was also conducting its own probe into the incidents.

“We have realised that vaccination certificates were not given to the victims on the same day that they were administered the fake jabs. Later, certificates were issued using the names of three different hospitals. That is how people realised something was wrong,” Sakhre said.

“These hospitals, however, said they had not provided the vials used in these camps. We have also written to the Serum Institute of India,” he said.

The high court directed the BMC and the state government to file affidavits responding to the bench’s queries and directions by June 29, the next date of hearing.