The Gautam Gambhir Foundation has been found guilty of unauthorisedly stocking, procuring and distributing Fabiflu medicine to COVID-19 patients, the Delhi High Court was informed by the Delhi government's drug controller on Thursday. The drug controller submitted that action will be taken without delay against the foundation, drug dealers as also in other such cases which would be brought to its notice.
MLA Praveen Kumar has also been found guilty for similar offences under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, the court was informed. The court asked the drug controller to file status reports on further progress in these cases within six weeks and listed the matter for hearing on July 29.
On May 31, the HC had said it cannot be taken for a ride, as it pulled up the drug controller for not properly probing the issues involved with procurement of huge quantities of Fabiflu, used in the treatment of Covid-19 patients, by the BJP MP. A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh said: "You can't take us for a ride. If you think we are so naive, we are not."
Slamming the drug controller, the bench added: "You better do your job. If you can't do your job, tell us, we will have you suspended and let someone else do your job."
Rejecting the status report filed by the drug controller on its probe into procurement of the medicine by the cricketer-turned-politician Gambhir, the High Court said its confidence in the official has been shaken.
The court noted it was well-known that the drug was in short supply. However, Gambhir purchased a quantity of the medicine, and others, who needed it, could not get it, the bench added. "You (drug controller) are wrong to say it was not in short supply. You want us to shut our eyes. You think you would get away with this," it said.
The High Court did not mince words in criticising the recent statement by Gambhir stating that he will continue to do such work.
"We have already said it is a malpractice. This tendency of people trying to take advantage and then trying to appear as a saviour when they themselves created the problem, has to be denounced," it said.
The court also examined the report in connection with the allegations against AAP MLAs Priti Tomar and Praveen Kumar over hoarding of medical oxygen. The report in connection with allegations against Tomar was accepted by the court, however, it trashed the reports in connection with Gambhir and Kumar, and gave the drug controller three days to file better reports.
The High Court was hearing a PIL seeking registration of a case on the allegations that politicians are able to procure, in huge quantities, and distribute Covid-19 medicines even as patients were running from pillar to post to get them. It has listed the matter for further hearing on June 3.