Rewari resident arrested for black marketing remdesivir

A Rewari resident was arrested for black marketing remdesivir, a broad-spectrum antiviral medication, and charging ₹23,000 per vial even as a shortage continues in the market, the police said

A Rewari resident was arrested for black marketing remdesivir, a broad-spectrum antiviral medication, and charging ₹23,000 per vial even as a shortage continues in the market, the police said.

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In a joint raid by the chief minister’s flying squad and district drug controller on Saturday night, a decoy customer was sent to buy the injection, at a mobile shop, and the suspect was arrested while delivering the medication, the police said.

Remdesivir is being used to treat critically ill Covid-19 patients, although experts have said that it is not a sure-shot treatment. The demand for remdesivir has shot up over the last month, with an unprecedented spike in Covid-19 cases and those having access to the medicine are hoarding them to make a quick buck, the police said.

To be sure, seven companies producing remdesivir in India have slashed prices by an average of 39%, with the costliest variant, offered by Hetero Healthcare, is priced at ₹3,490 for a 100mg vial.

The police identified the suspect as Rahul, of Chauki Bareilly village in Rewari, who worked as a compounder in a hospital, from where he allegedly stole the medicines.

Inderjeet Yadav, deputy superintendent of police, crime investigation department (CID), said they received a tip-off, following which they asked a decoy customer to call the suspect and ask for a delivery. “ Rahul asked him to pay ₹23,000 for remdesivir injection to an associate at a mobile shop. The decoy, along with the police team, went to buy the injection and caught him red-handed while he was delivering the injection,” he said.

Harish Budhiraja, inspector, chief minister’s flying squad, said that they conducted a reconnaissance of the area on Tuesday. “We are yet to verify details from where the injection was supplied to the private hospital and how Rahul stole them. The number of vials and the persons who bought them are also being ascertained,” he said.

A case was registered at Rewari police station, and after his arrest, police recovered one remdesivir injection and a mobile phone from his possession.