Three arrested for black marketing Remdesivir, oxygen cylinders

Hyderabad: Three persons were arrested in two separate cases for black marketing oxygen cylinders and the Remdesivir drug here by the city police. The cops sezied as many as 19 cylinders from a man after the bust, for selling oxygen to desperate patients at higher prices, given the ongoing surge in demand owing to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic’s second wave.

The the first case, officials of the commissioner’s task force arrested one B. Srihari, the owner of a pharmaceutical shop for selling the Remdesivir drug at higher prices. Srihari was being supplied with the drug by another accused named Vinay, who is currently absconding. The former was arrested by the police on April 28 at Kachiguda, when he was about to deliver four vials of the drug to a customer. All the vials were seized from his possession.

In the second instance, a man named Md. Abdul Ghouse, who runs Ayesha Enterprises at Attapur, was arrested by the west zone police for selling medical oxygen cylinders at higher prices. Given the steep rise in COVID-19 cases in the state, the accused had brought some cylinders his residence for black marketing. After receiving credible information about him, police officials raided his house, and found that Ghouse was selling oxygen without any valid permission.

Over the last 10 days or so, there has been a huge demand for the Remdesivir drug and oxygen cylinders. The city police has also began cracking down on those who have been black marketing items that families of COVID-19 patients are looking for.