Fake Remdesivir Sale during COVID second wave: Delhi High Court reserves orders on bail pleas

The Delhi High Court on Friday reserved orders in bail applications moved by persons accused of selling spurious Remdesivir during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic..The Court while reserving its verdict noted that it is still weighing the possibility of whether the accused may repeat the act if released from jail in case a third wave of COVID strikes..The Bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad was hearing the bail applications filed by Mohan Kumar Jha and Shoaib Khan, accused of being a part of a syndicate which was in touch with people across the country and selling fake Remdesivir injections..The Court remarked that the possibility of the accused selling spurious Remdesivir during the third wave of the COVID pandemic is weighing on its mind, adding that that such a possibility is new to bail jurisdictions..“What is weighing on my mind is, if you are released you may get involved in the same act during the third wave. This is something new to bail jurisdictions. It is something new but the factor is weighing on my mind,” Justice Prasad said. .The Court also noted that the investigation is yet to unearth whether any person has passed away owing to the use of spurious Remdesivir. .“As of now we have no information about whether people passed away because of these fake injections. There is chance that people may have passed away but the investigation officer has not gone into that,” the Court noted..The government counsel submitted that the accused had used the labels of a company that shut down in 2017 and sold spurious medicines as original during the peak of the second wave of the pandemic..“They were in touch constantly when the entire country was reeling with Covid. They were also in touch with one Sadhna Sharma. She was a conduit who would get in touch with others and procure order,” the counsel told the Bench..The government counsel added that he fears that the accused may get involved with the same syndicate and start selling fake Remdesivir as and when the third wave hits the country and they may even flee..The advocates appearing for the accused, however, countered that all the offences that they have been charged with are bailable. .They added that the bail applicants would undertake to help with the investigation and remain in Delhi the whole time. Further, it was also submitted that the bail applicants are willing to share their mobile locations while if released on bail.