Lens on Delhi hospitals over ‘pilferage’ of Remdesivir

GURUGRAM: Some private hospitals in Delhi are under scanner for alleged pilferage of Remdesivir, the Covid-19 experimental drug.
Till now, three pharmacists from the national capital have been arrested in the international drug smuggling racket that was busted last week in Gurugram, in which five foreign nationals were held during a raid. The accused used to supply Remdesivir and other drugs to Iraq through patients from that country visiting India for treatment.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to investigate the racket has been conducting raids across Delhi-NCR to track those may be associated with the gang.
“We are yet to reach the source supply of Remdesivir. The matter is under investigation and more people are likely to be arrested,” said ACP Karan Goyal, who is heading the SIT.
Gurugram Police is also looking if there is any connection to a similar Remdesivir racket busted last month in Hyderabad. “We are investigating if hospitals are involved, but the role of manufacturing companies cannot be ruled out either,” said a police officer associated with the investigation.
Several firms have approval to manufacture Remdesivir, he said, but the drugs recovered during the raids were manufactured by only one company, he added. “We have to make a few more recoveries, after which we will take a call on approaching the pharma company,” he said.
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