VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, April 22: The investigation of the Remdesivir black marketing case by the Enforcement Directorate may assume a wider ambit as the premier agency is learnt to have decided to investigate whether private hospitals and officials were involved in the black marketing of this medicine which was high in demand during the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic.
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Well-informed sources have said that during the initial investigation at least a couple of high-end private hospitals have come under the scanner where there is a mismatch between the actual use and supply of Remdesivir. The ED is also likely to ask the health department and the drugs control authorities to provide details of the supply, distribution and use of Remdesivir to individuals and hospitals.
During the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, Remdesivir, considered a life-saving medicine, was sold at an exorbitant price.
In April last year, the case of black marketing came to light after Ranchi police arrested Rajiv Singh along with five vials of Remdesivir medicine along with some cash amounts. The court also arrested his associate Manish Kumar Sinha. The investigation revealed that the one Rakesh Ranjan had provided that medicine to them. Rakesh Ranjan became the witness of the prosecution. Rakesh Ranjan was the owner of the medicine shop Medicine Point.
Jharkhand High Court which was hearing Covid -19 related PIL took suo moto cognizance and decided to monitor the investigation of the case. The court was not pleased with the quality of the investigation that the CID carried out. The High Court questioned the CID as to on what ground it made Ranchi SP (Rural) Naushad Alam an approver of this case rather than the accused. The IPS is understood to have requested Rajiv Singh to arrange Remdesivir for a person named Guddu.
The ED believes that this case was just an iceberg of a massive medical scam during the second wave of Covid-19 where artificial scarcity of life-saving medicines, medical equipment, oxygen and others were created for their black marketing. A well-organized and well-connected group was involved in the scam.
Rakesh Ranjan died in a mysterious way
In March Rakesh Ranjan died in suspicious circumstances which however came as a setback for the ED which could not question him in this case. Rakesh Ranjan was found lying in the pool of blood on the premise of his Mangalam Apartment at Pundag under Argora police station of Ranchi on the morning of March 20. Nevertheless, the ED can use his statement during the trial that he made before the CID.
While it was widely considered a case of suicide it became a complex one when Rohit Ranjan (son of this deceased chemist) lodged an FIR against his stepmother Preeti Ranjan for murdering his father. Ranchi Police registered a case against Preeti Ranjan under Section 302 of the IPC based on a written complaint.
No headway in Rakesh Ranjan case
Ranchi police have not made any headway in this case. “The complainant Rohit Ranjan left for Patna after lodging a complaint. He has been summoned to record his statement. An investigation in this case is going on,” said an official of Argora police station.
