Delhi Police asks BJP MP Gautam Gambhir to explain alleged 'illegal hoarding' of Fabiflu

Days after offering free 'Fabiflu' tablets to those in need, BJP MP Gautam Gambhir has been served with a notice from the Delhi Police seeking a reply over the distribution of the drug used to treat COVID-19 patients. The East Delhi MP found himself on a sticky wicket after he offered Fabiflu for free to those seeking it as several accused him of hoarding the drug at a time when the national capital has been facing an acute shortage of medical equipment to battle the lethal second wave of Coronavirus. 

Commenting on the reply sought by the Delhi Police, Gautam Gambhir on Friday said that he has provided all the details asked for. Taking to Twitter, the former India cricketer also accused the Opposition of indulging in 'needless politicisation' of the due process. Previously, as Gambhir courted controversy over the alleged 'illegal hoarding', the ex-cricketer had issued a sharp response defending himself. The drug in question - Fabiflu - has been widely used in treating COVID-19 patients and reports of shortage have come to the fore as Delhi faces the COVID-19 crisis.

Reacting to the controversy, he had said, "If a few 100 strips of tablets obtained from a distributor are being given for free, then, can it be called hoarding? Is my obtaining a few strips of Fabiflu causing the shortage? You can call me wrong, but I'll do everything to save the lives of people."

Earlier in the day, the Delhi Police's Crime Branch also arrived at the Indian Youth Congress Office. Speaking to ANI, Youth Congress Chief Srinivas BV said that the Delhi Police wanted to know how was it helping order and added they cooperated with the police. The Youth Congress chief has grabbed headlines over the past few months by extending help to several COVID-19 patients seeking essential drugs and medical supplies for treatment. 

'Essential Commodity' debate in the courts

The Delhi High Court has been conducting marathon hearings over the prevailing COVID-19 situation in the national capital, issuing key directions to the AAP government to battle the lethal second wave of the Coronavirus. The High Court has also taken note of the lack in medical infrastructure and acute shortage of supplies including key drugs and medical oxygen which has led to a state of crisis. The acute shortage of medical drugs including Fabiflu and Remdesivir, widely used to treat COVID-19 patients, has led to hoarding and black marketing of the drugs, leading to a state of confusion about whether the drugs in contention can be classified as essential commodities. 

In fact, in its hearing on May 10, the Delhi High Court had asked the Centre and AAP government as to why a notification under the Essential Commodities Act has not yet been issued to classify concentrators as “essential commodities” amid the severe shortage faced. However, the Drugs Pricing Control order (DPCO) 2013, issued by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), which comes under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has set limits on prices of certain drugs which include medicines and several classes of medical equipment. NPPA has the authority to set maximum pricing for drugs and to monitor the current prices without setting limits. It can also make rules to control prices. The topic of what comes under essential commodities was also discussed in the hearing into Navneet Kalra's anticipatory bail plea.

At present, there are 77,717 active novel coronavirus cases in Delhi while 12,74,140 patients have recovered and 20,618 deaths have been reported. While a total of 33,79,663 persons have been inoculated in the national capital, 10,08,238 of them have received the second dose of the vaccine too.