Political leaders can’t hoard stocks: HC

NEW DELHI: Political leaders have no business to hoard stocks of COVID-19 medicines that are already in shortage and they are expected to surrender these drugs, said the Delhi high court which on Monday also expressed dissatisfaction over a “vague and whitewashed enquiry” report filed by the Delhi Police over the allegations against politicians hoarding and distributing medicines, including Remdesivir, in national capital. “Just because some political figures are involved, you will not investigate, we will not allow this,” said the court adding that it would have appreciated if the police had enquired into specific allegations levelled against each person and then filed the report.

However, the court, which was hearing a PIL seeking lodging of an FIR on the allegations that politicians are able to procure in huge quantity and distribute COVID-19 medicines even as patients were running from pillar to post to get them, said since it is projected that these medicines were procured for public charity, it hopes and expects that they are not hoarded for political gains.

“Political leaders have no business to hoard stocks of these medicines. We expect them to surrender to the Director General of Health Services which will then distribute it to the poor and needy people at government hospitals. This is the best way to do public service,” said a bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh and added that if their intention is to do public good, they should themselves go and surrender the stock.

The police, in its status report, said the political leaders, including cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir, have been actually helping people in getting medical aid in the form of medicines, oxygen and others and have not charged any money and no one has been defrauded.

The police, represented through standing counsel Sanjay Lau, said the enquiry in the alleged instances is being conducted on a day-to-day basis and the officials have examined Lok Sabha MP and BJP leader Gautam Gambhir, President of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee Chaudhary Anil Kumar, ex Congress MLA Mukesh Sharma, BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana, AAP MLA Dilip Pandey. The others who have been enquired are Vice President Congress (Delhi) Ali Mehdi, Block adhyaksh of Congress (Delhi) Ashok Baghel, ex MP Bijnor Shahid Siddiqui and President of All India Youth Congress Srinivas BV.

“The enquiry conducted so far has revealed that all the persons alleged to have been hoarding medicines etc, have been actually helping people in getting medical aid... the person enquired into have not charged any money for the help provided, and thus no one has been defrauded. The distribution/ help has been voluntary and without discrimination,” the report said.

Political leaders have no business to hoard stocks of medicines. We expect them to surrender to the DGHS which will distribute it to the poor and needy people