HYDERABAD: Three persons were arrested for selling
Remdesivir injection at exorbitant price in two separate incidents on Wednesday, even as home minister Mahmood Ali ordered a massive crackdown against hoarding of the medicine and oxygen cylinders across the state.
K Anjan Kumar, 29, a medical representative from Alair in Buvanagiri Yadadri district, and K Bhaskar Rao, 39, a
medical store owner
from Nacharam, were arrested by Medipally police of Rachakonda commissionerate on Tuesday night while they were trying to sell Covifor Remdesivir injection vials for Rs 30,000 each.
At 3 pm on Tuesday, police received
specific information
about black market sale of Remdesivir injection at Medilife Medical and General Stores at Annapurna colony, Boduppal. Acting on the information, sub-inspector (SI) P Ravi Kumar along with local drug inspector rushed to the spot and apprehended the two accused. “The accused tried to flee, but we intercepted them and seized two vials of Remdesivir from Anjan Kumar,” the SI said.
During the interrogation, Anjan Kumar confessed that he has been working as a medical representative and recently started supplying Remdesivir vials to medical shop owners for excess price.
“Anjan Kumar is obtaining Covifor Remdesivir injection for Rs 3,490 and selling them to Bhaskar Rao for Rs 28,000. Rao, in turn, was selling the Remdisivir vial for Rs 30,000 to customers,” the SI said.
On Tuesday, Anjan was caught while handing over two vials of Remdesivir to Rao at the latter’s medical store. The accused were produced before court for judicial remand.
In another case,
Special Operations Team
sleuths of Rachakonda arrested a computer shop owner, Y Seshu Babu of Malkajgiri for indulging in illegal sale of Remdesivir. Police seized six vials of Covifor medicine from Seshu Babu. “He was selling each vial of Remdesivir for Rs 25,000 to the customers,” Kushaiguda police said.
During the day, the home minister held a review meeting with DGP M Mahender Reddy and other senior police officials, including ADG (law and order) Jitender, principal secretary (home) Ravi Gupta, Hyderabad Additional CP (traffic), Anil Kumar and the three city police commissioners, Anjani Kumar, V C Sajjanar and Mahesh Bhagwat to review the priorities of police department during the ongoing pandemic situation.
The home minister asked them to step up the crackdown against those indulging in hoarding of oxygen cylinders and the medicines used in the treatment of Covid-19, including Remdesivir.
“Police have been asked to keep a watch on medical shops. We also appeal to people to not hoard oxygen cylinders and drugs as those who immediately need them will face difficulties,” Mahmood Ali said.
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