The Delhi government’s drug controller on Thursday told the Delhi High Court that Gautam Gambhir Foundation run by BJP MP and former India cricketer had been found guilty of unauthorisedly stocking, procuring and distributing Fabiflu medicine to COVID-19 patients.
The drug controller, according to news agency PTI, said that action will be taken without delay against the foundation and drug dealers. The drug controller said that AAP MLA Praveen Kumar had also been found guilty of similar offences under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
The dug controller’s lawyer, Nandita Rao, told the high court on Thursday that Gautam Gambhir’s charity purchased over 2000 Fabiflu strips by licensed dealers despite them not holding any valid license for doing so. Rao assured the court that action would be taken against the NGO run by Gautam Gambhir.
Justice Sanghi said, “We’re again saying, what Mr. Gambhir did was in a public spirit. But at what expense? At the expense of needy people. If I need a medicine today but I’m not getting it because somebody else did.” He added, “The stock wasn’t available to the needy for nearly two weeks. You did charity but you also caused a lot of impediments. You caused shortage to the society. The general patients who needed the medicines couldn’t get it.”
Justice Sanghi: The stock wasn’t available to the needy for nearly two weeks. You did charity but you also caused a lot of impediments. You caused shortage to the society. The general patients who needed the medicines couldn’t get it.#gautamgambhir #DelhiHighCourt
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) June 3, 2021
The court listed the matter for 29 July and directed the drug controller to file a detailed status report within six weeks.
The high court on Monday had lashed out at the drug controller for giving a clean chit to Gambhir in the matter. “If your Drug Controller is not interested in doing the job, then we will ask that he be removed and let somebody else take over. What investigation? This is trash. There is no legal basis to it,” Indian Express had quoted the high court as saying.
The drug controller of the Delhi government had said in its report that the distribution of Fabiflu medicines by the Gautam Gambhir Foundation appeared to be covered by an exception mentioned in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.