A two-judge bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah said: “We cannot stop it. You proceed your remedy before the High Court.”
Noting it “cannot allow a group (to) distribute medicines while people run helter-skelter…”, the Apex Court on Monday said it would not stop the prosecution of BJP MP Gautam Gambhir – in connection with politicians hoarding medicines during the second wave of Covid cases.
The Supreme Court, however, allowed Gautam Gambhir, the ex-cricketer who joined politics ahead of 2019 Elections, to approach the Delhi High Court for relief since that court had not yet passed its order.
A two-judge bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah said: “We cannot stop it. You proceed your remedy before the High Court.”
“Cannot allow a trust, or group of people, to distribute medicines, while people run helter-skelter for drugs. An individual cannot distribute medicines… Then everybody will procure and distribute for their own purpose,” the top court added.
Mr Gambhir’s lawyer withdrew the plea after the remarks by the judges.
The ex-cricketer had filed a plea against the observations of the Delhi High Court on this matter.
Earlier this year in May, the Delhi HC had come down heavily on drug controller for allowing Mr Gambhir to procure large quantities of Fabiflu, which had been indicated for use in some COVID-19 cases.
The Delhi HC had said the tendency to take advantage of a situation, such as the devastating tragedy wrought by the second wave of the pandemic, to appear as saviours had to be denounced.
“You can’t take us for a ride. If you think we are so gullible, so naive, we are not. You better do your job. If you can’t do your job tell us… we will have you suspended and let someone else do your job,” a bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh had said.
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