TRIO HELD FOR SELLING REMDESIVIR IN BLACK

The Task Force and the Subedari police on Thursday jointly arrested a gang of three members who were selling remdesivir injection provided by doctors during emergencies to corona patients at a higher rate than the MRP. Police seized 28 remdesivir vials and `20,000 cash from them.

Among those arrested were Bagaji Manohar, a pharmacy assistant in Mandi Bazaar, Kolipaka Kumaraswamy, a pharmacist from Bheemaram and Aita Ashok, a pharmacy worker from Karimabad.

Warangal police commissioner Tarun Joshi said the accused wanted to cash in on the severity of the Coronavirus pandemic. The patients are going to hospitals for treatment and the usage of remdesivir injection is on the rise.

Working in a local hospital pharmacy, the trio decided to turn the current unavailability of the injection in their favour and plotted to exploit the public by selling the injections at high prices. Remdesivir injection which can be procured from Hetero Pharma Company for `2,800 each should be sold in retail to the patients for `3,490. However, the accused are allegedly are selling it at a price of `35,000 to `45,000.

After receiving information, the task force and the Subedari police raided the drug store in the respective hospitals and arrested suspects with

28 Remdesivir injections.

The commissioner appreciated Central Zone DCP Pushpa, Hanamkonda ACP Jitender Reddy, Task Force ACP Pratap Kumar, inspector Srinivas, Subedari inspector Raghavender, Subedari sub-inspector Sambamurthy and their staff for arresting the gang.

● AMONG THOSE arrested were Bagaji Manohar, a pharmacy assistant in Mandi Bazaar, Kolipaka Kumaraswamy, a pharmacist from Bheemaram and Aita Ashok, a pharmacy worker from Karimabad.