Black marketing of Covid drugs: Here’s what 9 politicians told the Delhi Police

The nine politicians, questioned by the Delhi Police for allegedly hoarding oxygen cylinders and medicines, maintained they just helped connect people to chemists and others who could make them available for Covid-19 patients, according to the status report of the case

Nine politicians questioned by the Delhi Police for allegedly hoarding oxygen cylinders and medicines maintained they just helped connect people to chemists and others who could make them available for Covid-19 patients, according to the status report of the case.

Representational Image. (HT file photo)

The police on Monday submitted the report with the statements of the politicians and told the Delhi high court that prima facie there was no evidence against the nine including Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Gautam Gambhir, Indian Youth Congress president (IYC) BV Srinivas, and Dilip Pandey of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The court refused to accept the report and pulled up the police for the “vague and whitewashed inquiry.” The police are now back to probing the case. A crucial part of the probe will be how a doctor managed to get over 2,000 strips of antiviral Fabiflu tablets for Gambhir. The court noted that “medicines were hoarded by a certain doctor” and asked all political parties to submit whatever stock they had of medicines to the Directorate of Health Services.

According to the status report, Gambhir told police the doctor volunteered to organise a free medical camp for his foundation between April 22 and May 7 for Covid-19 patients. “... 2,628 strips of Fabiflu were purchased from authorised vendors against the prescription of Dr... while payments were made by Gautam Gambhir Foundation, however, the aforesaid medicine was delivered by respective vendors directly to Dr….Throughout the period the said medicine remained under the control of Dr…” Gambir told the police. He said the medicines were distributed free of cost. Gambir added the remaining 285 strips of the medicines were still with the doctor, who has been requested to distribute them for free.

HT is withholding the doctor’s name as he has not been questioned or named in the complaint.

Gambhir was unavailable for comments despite repeated calls and text messages.

Srinivas, in his statement, called the inquiry against him and other IYC members harassment as they have been at the forefront of providing relief and that their party was opposed to the Centre’s handling of the crisis. He maintained they connected people in need and added they “received oxygen equipment as donations and provided it free of cost to the people.” He said no money was charged for their services.

Srinivas told HT the case is sub-judice. “I have already told the police how we did not buy or hoard a single strip of medicine.”

Pandey told police he helped cricketer Unmukt Chand get Remdesivir for his mother by connecting him with a medical store. He maintained he never bought or possessed any Covid medicines.

Pandey was unavailable for any comments. Earlier, he said that the timing of the police’s investigation looked suspicious, and it was wrong to question people for helping each other during the pandemic.

Congress leader Chaudhary Anil Kumar, in his statement, linked a column he wrote about allegations of black marketing of Covid-19 medicines to his questioning.

Kumar told HT: “When everyone is helping each other, instead of encouraging and supporting people who are helping, they are directing the entire state machinery against us.”

Delhi BJP leader Harish Khurana told police he circulated the messages of people, who had approached him for help on social media for arranging medicines, oxygen, hospital beds. He maintained he did not buy or hoard any medicine or medical equipment.

Khurana told HT he has full faith in the judiciary. “We have nothing to hide and are ready to cooperate in the investigation. If helping someone is a crime, then we are ready to commit that crime every day.”

Ali Mehdi of the Delhi Congress told the police he sought his party colleague Ashok Bagel’s help for a woman who approached him for help in getting an oxygen cylinder.

Mehdi was unavailable for his response when HT tried to contact him.

Bagel told police he arranged the cylinder from a family in his neighbourhood that no longer needed it as a person on its support had died of the Covid-19 complications. He told HT they have not hoarded any medicine. “We have nothing to fear. We have helped people find medical resources when they did not get help from anywhere. The allegations are wrong.”

Former Congress lawmaker Mukesh Sharma told police he only guided people to the closest chemist shops. “I helped people get admission in hospitals. I did not buy medicines or distribute [them]… I only give information about medical shops.”

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Sharma told HT he has faith in the judiciary and will cooperate with the police. “...I only guided people to go to certain medical stores. I also told them to get receipts for all medicines that they buy. I will continue to help people. Today also [Monday], I helped some people who were asking for help. I strongly believe people should not hoard medicines at a time such as this.”

Former Rajya Sabha member Shahid Siddiqui was questioned over his tweet in which he thanked Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Sharma for arranging Remdesivir. He told police he along with his wife and daughter were severely ill and sent an SOS on social media for the medicine. Siddiqui said Priyanka Gandhi provided two doses of the medicine, which were originally procured for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi but were not used.

Siddiqui told HT the Delhi Police were probing the case because of political reasons. “If police really want to investigate, I will give them numbers of people who were sending me messages offering to sell Remdesivir for over ₹20,000. The priority of the police was clear when they choose to probe people receiving or offering help during this pandemic. In my statement, I have clearly mentioned how someone helped me with the medicines. I have nothing to fear.”

The Delhi Police said they are probing the case on the directions of the court and will submit a fresh report next week.