Procurement of Remdesivir injections during pandemic: FIR registered against pharma firm, unknown BMC officials

The Mumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing has registered a case regarding alleged irregularities in the procurement of Remdesivir by the BMC during the pandemic. The agency has named Mylan Laboratories and unknown BMC officials as accused in the case. The fraud is estimated at INR 5.96 crore. BJP leader Kirit Somaiya filed a complaint, alleging that the civic body purchased the injection at a higher cost than prevailing prices and lacked details on the distribution of the injections. The EOW is also investigating a Covid-19 body bag scam.

Mumbai: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police has registered a fresh case in connection with alleged irregularities in the procurement of a critical anti-viral injection, Remdesivir by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) during the Covid-19 pandemic. The agency has named a pharmaceutical company Mylan Laboratories and unknown officials of the civic body as accused in the case.

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“We will investigate and decide who all in the BMC were responsible for the alleged irregularities,” an EOW official said, adding that the fraud is to the tune of ₹5.96 crore. The civic body had procured the injection from Mylan Laboratories at ₹1,568 per viral in 2021 which the BJP party leaders have alleged was at a cost far more than the price prevailing then.

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya lodged a complaint with the EOW, alleging that the civic body initially ordered 50,000 Remdesivir injections however they have details regarding only 40,000 injections and could not give any satisfactory answers regarding the remaining 10,000 vials.

“The civic body purchased the injection in 2020 at ₹4,300, in 2021 despite a contract of ₹665 per vial, the injection was purchased at ₹1,568 per vial from Mylan when other agencies brought it at a lower price or even were selling at low prices. There are also no proper details of whom these injections have been given and thus a fraud has taken place,” Somaiya said.

The Maharashtra State Lokayukta had already given a clean chit to the state government in January 2021 in the case, stating that the complainant could not prove there was any corruption in the purchase of Remdesivir nor could he prove that there was any opaqueness in the purchase and supply.

The EOW had registered a Preliminary Enquiry in the matter which was converted to a FIR on Friday late night. The case has been registered in the local Agripada police station against Mylan Laboratories and unknown BMC officials under sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 409 (criminal breach of trust by a public servant, or by banker, merchant or agent), 420 (cheating), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

The EOW is also investigating the Covid-19 body bag scam committed during the same pandemic period.