Know Why
Gautam Gambhir found guilty of hoarding Covid-19 medicines – Know Why
The DCGI, yesterday, told the Delhi High Court HC that former India cricketer and BJP MP, Gautam Gambhir's foundation is guilty of hoarding Fabiflu.
Gautam Gambhir
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), yesterday, told the Delhi High Court (HC) that former India cricketer and Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP), Gautam Gambhir's foundation is guilty of hoarding FabifluThe Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), yesterday, told the Delhi High Court (HC) that former India cricketer and Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP), Gautam Gambhir's foundation is guilty of hoarding Fabiflu – a drug prescribed to mild to moderate covid-19 patients.
This development has led to a storm in social media, with netizens trolling and demanding the arrest of the former cricketer. While Gambhir, on the other hand, just put out a cryptic tweet that read, "I am a man and all that affects mankind concerns me – Sardar Bhagat Singh," following the incident.
What exactly transpired behind the scene?
Back on 21st April 2021, when India was in the midst of an ever-rising second wave of covid-19, and people across the country were facing a severe shortage of hospital beds, oxygen concentrators and life-saving drugs like Fabiflu, Gambhir tweeted that people of East Delhi can collect Fabiflu for free from his MP office.
"People of East Delhi can get 'Fabiflu' from MP office (2 Jagriti Enclave) for FREE between 10-5. Kindly get Aadhar card and prescription," the tweet read.
This is where the trouble started brewing for Guatam Gambhir. The very next day, an FIR was filed against the southpaw by social activist Leher Sethi accusing him of hoarding the drug.
Just days later, the Delhi HC questioned whether Gambhir has the license to distribute such a large quantity of covid-19 drugs and from where he was procuring these drugs when the entire country was facing an acute shortage of the same.
A few days later, on 7th May 2021, the Delhi HC ordered the police to conduct a probe into the hoarding of oxygen cylinders and medicines, whilst it asked the DCGI to conduct an independent investigation into the matter.
The DCGI had then given a clean-chit to Gambhir and nine others. This did not go down well with the HC, who dismissed the report and maintained that the DCGI was trying to protect these powerful people and ordered a fresh report.
After being reprimanded by HC once, the DCGI, in a report submitted yesterday, stated that the Gautam Gambhir Foundation was guilty of unauthorised stocking, procurement and distribution of Fabiflu to covid-19 patients.
The Delhi High Court has now asked the DCGI to file a status report on further progress in the case within six weeks, and the matter is now expected to be heard on 29th July 2021.
