Hospital staffer held for black marketing of antiviral drug remdesivir

An employee of a private hospital was arrested for allegedly trying to sell a vial of remdesivir injection at an exorbitant price in Maharashtra's Pune city, police said on Wednesday.

Based on a tip-off, a decoy customer was sent to Bhavani Peth area on Tuesday and the accused Shivaji Sawant was caught while attempting to sell a vial of remdesivir for Rs 7,000, a senior crime branch official said.

Amid shortage of the anti-viral drug, cases of black marketing have been reported, in which the Pimpri Chinchwad and Pune police have already arrested some people in separate cases.

The accused works as an assistant in a private hospital and was in possession of two vials, the official said.

The family of a COVID-19 patient at the hospital had procured extra vials of the injection and had given it away to the hospital, and Sawant had somehow managed to get hold of two vials, which he tried to sell at an exorbitant price, he said.

The accused has been arrested under relevant sections of the Essential Commodity Act and Drug and Cosmetic Act, the official said.

The Pune police have already formed 10 teams and are undertaking a special drive against the black marketing of the drug.