ACB searches 3 godowns of pharma firm

The anti-corruption branch (ACB) searched three warehouses of a pharmaceutical company in Delhi on Thursday, launching investigation into the alleged medicine scam involving Delhi government, based on a complaint lodged by sacked AAP minister Kapil Mishra.

ACB chief Mukesh Kumar Meena said that the branch began the probe after Mishra alleged fraud in procurement of medicines, which he said, was a part of “irregularities” in the health department that cost the exchequer ₹300 crore.

The Delhi government, denying the allegations, said that the ACB should take action instead of “doing drama” and just conducting raids.

Meena said, “Our teams searched three warehouses on Wednesday. We conducted searches on Thursday too. This is part of our preliminary inquiry,” Meena said, without divulging if any evidence was found during the searches. He said no FIR has been registered in this connection yet. ACB sources said the medicines found in the three warehouses were not past the expiry date.

Mishra had given a complaint to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal alleging that medicines purchased by the heath department on minister Satyendar Jain’s instructions were rotting at the warehouses. He had alleged that though the hospitals had said they do not need medicines in stock, they were bought and are lying unused and wasted at the warehouses.

“The government bought medicines worth crores of The Delhi government bought medicines worth ~300 crore six months in advance even when hospitals said they don’t need them. Three godowns were built to store the medicines, which are now lying waste as there are no takers. The government purchased 100 ambulances. Immediately after procurement, four of them caught fire. How could the government go ahead with more such vehicles without getting their fitness checked thoroughly?

rupees six months in advance even when hospitals said they don’t need them. Three godowns were built to store the medicines, which are now going waste as there are no takers,” Mishra said in his complaint. On May 29, he met Baijal with the complaint. The L-G had forwarded the complaint to the ACB.

Responding to the developments, labour minister Gopal Rai said, “The Centre has all the agencies at its disposal. They should take action instead of Minister Satyendar Jain had appointed at least 30 medical superintendents in hospitals such as Aruna Asaf Ali without following due process. No rule was followed in appointment of 30 medical superintendents.

doing drama in the name of investigation and raids. We are ready for any probe.”

ACB officers had on Wednesday visited the Delhi secretariat to get papers from the health department related to purchase of medicines.

While the ruling party had laughed off the allegations made by Mishra terming them “entertainment”, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said in Delhi assembly on Wednesday that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal GOPAL RAI, labour minister was personally reviewing the functioning of government hospitals, including supply of medicines and payment related to their procurement.

Sisodia was speaking in reply to leader of opposition Vijendar Gupta, who had raised the issue of lack of medicine in government hospitals, the condition of which was made public by the Chief Minister himself.

Mishra fell out with Kejriwal and his team in May after he was removed as the water minister.