Gautam Gambhir Foundation guilty of illegally hoarding COVID-19 drugs: Delhi Drug Controller tells HC

New Delhi [India], June 3 : The Drug Controller of Delhi on Thursday informed the Delhi High Court that Gautam Gambhir Foundation has committed an offence under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act for hoarding unauthorised stock of COVID-19 drugs.
Advocate Nandita Rao, appearing for the Drug Controller apprised a bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh about the inquiry report conducted by the Drug Controller and submitted that Gautam Gambhir Foundation purchased over 2000 strips by licensed dealers despite them not holding any valid license for purchasing the same.
She further added that the foundation was found to have unauthorised stocking of Fabiflu under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, an offence under the same act.
The High Court sought from Drug Controller whether the status report is only in relation to Gautam Gambhir or does it relate to AAP MLA Praveen Kumar, to which Rao responded, "Status report deals with Praveen Kumar MLA also. We have found him guilty."
After taking note of the inquiry report, the court observed that certain offences committed both at the end of licensed dealers and retailers of medicines as well as Gautam Gambhir Foundation and MLA Praveen Kumar.
The bench also asked Drug Controller to take action against people violating the rules mentioned under the Act, file another status report, and listed the matter for July 29 for further hearing.
The court also noted that show-cause notices have been issued to the licensee under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and responses are awaited.
Assistant Drug Controller assured the court that action will be taken against the people allegedly involved in such offences.
The court said that Lok Sabha MP from East Delhi Gautam Gambhir has procured in public spirit by spending a lot of money for doing charity but has also caused shortage and inconvenience.
"This was not the way to do charity. When you do charity, you have to do that only with charity as an angle. No other angle. We want the Drug Controller to curb this practice in the future," the court said.
The court said that the Drug Controller may investigate not just in this case, but in all cases where there is a violation under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
Meanwhile, AAP MLA Praveen Kumar tweeted: 'I have two options either watch webseries at home or help people at crucial time to save lives with oxygen. I choose 2nd. I stand with my people. n Ready to help in all proceedings."
The Court was hearing a plea seeking to conduct an inquiry into the distribution of medicines by Gautam Gambhir and another application seeking inquiry against AAP MLA Praveen Kumar for distributing oxygen cylinders.
One petitioner Deepak Singh has said that Gambhir was distributing medicine when chemists were running out of stock and submitted that there must be a strong warning against chemists and politicians. Deepak Singh in his petition alleged medical mafia-politicians nexus indulging in black-marketing of Covid-19 medicines.
Another application was filed by Vedansh Anand through advocate Amit Tiwari seeking inquiry against AAP MLA Praveen Kumar for distributing oxygen cylinders.