Amid the novel coronavirus epidemic crisis, the Delhi High Court on Monday expressed deep displeasure during the hearing of the drug hoarding case by leaders of various political parties.
The bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Jasmeet Singh said that leaders of political parties have no authority to hoard drugs.
The Court asked, “How did BJP leader Gautam Gambhir get such a large stock of medicine from the chemist? If Gautam’s intention is of public interest, then he should give it to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHC), which will distribute it to the needy.”
The HC further said that Delhi Police is expected to conduct a proper investigation into the hoarding of drugs. The Court also issued notice to the Drugs Controller of India to file a reply on the same.
The petition, filed by Dr Deepak Singh, alleged that when the COVID-19 infection was at its peak, many leaders distributed medicines. When people were not getting these medicines from the market at a very difficult time, from where did the leaders procure them?
The High Court then asked the police to interrogate the issue, to which the crime branch recorded the statement of AAP MLA from Timarpur, Dilip Pandey; former Congress MLA Mukesh Sharma and BJP leader Harish Khurana.
The Crime Branch will soon interrogate BJP MP Gautam Gambhir as well. After taking the statements of all these people, the Crime Branch will prepare a report, which will be submitted to the High Court.
In the interim report filed before the Bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rekha Palli, the police had said that investigation has so far revealed that the leaders of various political parties were helping people without any discrimination in the epidemic. However, it further said that the investigation is still going on and asked the court to give six weeks time to complete it.
Advocate Sanjay Law has filed this report on behalf of Crime Branch of Delhi Police. According to the status report, police have so far interrogated BJP MP and former cricketer from East Delhi Gautam Gambhir, AAP MLA Dilip Pandey, State Congress President and former MLA Anil Chaudhary, Youth Congress President Srinivas BV. This report has been presented on the basis of interrogation and statements made by nine leaders.
In this, the police has said that according to the facts revealed by the investigation so far, the leaders of various political parties help the needy people through oxygen, medicine, medical equipment, hospitalization of patients / getting beds etc. Were living. It is also clear from the investigation that for this, no leader took money from the people and voluntarily helped the people in the Mahatrasadi without any discrimination.
In this report filed through advocate Sanjay Law, the police has said that the investigation is still going on and asked for six weeks to complete it. In a statement to the police, all the leaders said that they were voluntarily helping the people in this epidemic as a public representative.
The High Court, considering a PIL, had on May 4 asked the Delhi Police to investigate the allegations of hoarding on the leaders and submit a report. The chairman of the NGO Hrudayya Foundation and the national level shooter Deepak Singh have filed a petition in the High Court.
The petition, filed through Adhikar Virag Gupta, has sought a case by the leaders to register a case in connection with the purchase and distribution of the drug used in the treatment of corona infection and a CBI inquiry.
Gupta has stated in the petition how leaders of different political parties are able to buy large quantities of medicines without the necessary permission under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, while the general public is not getting this medicine.
They have also said that they are distributing medicines for their political gains, while some people are not getting medicines, in such a situation it is a crime of a serious nature and due to this the patients of Corona across the country are not getting medicines in time Trouble, even life is going on.
On May 4, the High Court ordered the investigation of the case by the leaders of buying and distributing the drug Remedisvir and other medicines widely used in the treatment of corona infection. However, the court at present refused to order the CBI to investigate the matter. The court has ordered the Delhi Police to investigate the matter.
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The bench said that in view of the incidents coming under the jurisdiction of this court, we direct the petitioner to present his grievances before the Delhi Police Commissioner. At the same time, the Commissioner of Police, after conducting its investigation, will respond to the complainant. The bench has made it clear in its order that if any offense is detected during the investigation, then Delhi Police should take appropriate action by filing a case.
Source: ILNS