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Remdesivir blackmarketing probe: HC pulls up govt for transferring CID official
Ranchi: The Jharkhand high court has pulled up the state government for transferring additional director general (ADG) of crime investigation department (CID) Anil Palta amid the ongoing probe into alleged Remdesivir injection blackmarketing case, which is being monitored by the court
Ranchi: The Jharkhand high court has pulled up the state government for transferring additional director general (ADG) of crime investigation department (CID) Anil Palta amid the ongoing probe into alleged Remdesivir injection blackmarketing case, which is being monitored by the court.
A division bench of chief justice Dr Ravi Ranjan and justice Sujit Narayan Prasad observed that the government should have taken permission from the court before transferring the ADG.
“The government knows that the above case is being monitored by the high court. Then what was the hurry to transfer the officer heading the department. It seems that the transfer was done to influence the ongoing investigation,” the bench observed. It added, “Remdesivir blackmarketing case can be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a thorough probe.” The bench, however, sought an explanation from the government in this regard by June 21. It said the court will take a final decision only after inspecting the government’s reply.
The matter relates to suo moto cognisance taken by the high court over Covid-19 issues in the state in April last year.
The recent development in the case came before the court after lawyer Rajendra Krishna filed an interlocutory application, questioning the government’s decision to transfer the ADG. He said the ADG earlier appeared before the court and assured free and fair investigation into the above case. “However, hardly few days later, Palta was transferred, raising suspicion about the fate of the above case,” he said, urging the court to quash the transfer order.
Responding to this, the bench asked the advocate general (AG) as to why the government didn’t take the court’s permission before transferring the ADG. “There are several orders of the Supreme Court and the high courts that clearly say that the government must take court’s prior permission for transferring an officer connected with cases under court’s monitoring,” the bench said.
The AG, however, informed the court that the ADG’s transfer was a routine matter. He was not the investigating officer of the case. The senior official, who replaced him, is equally competent and the ongoing probe into the case will not be influenced in any manner, the AG said.
The court, however, observed that people infected with coronavirus didn’t get Remdesivir injection on time that led to many deaths. “The medicine was sold in black market, which is a very serious issue,” the bench said.
The AG informed that he will inform the court after seeking government’s instruction. After some time, he informed that the government will set up a special investigation team (SIT) under Palta in this matter.
The bench asked the government to furnish its decision in writing by filing an affidavit by Monday.
The bench also enquired the CBI’s counsel if the agency will investigate the matter. The counsel said the CBI will probe the case only after the court’s order.
