Delhi HC Reserves Order On Gautam Gambhir Foundation’s Plea To Quash COVID Drugs Hoarding Case

The Delhi High Court on Friday reserved its order on a plea filed by Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir, his foundation, and family members seeking quashing of criminal proceedings related to alleged hoarding and unauthorized distribution of COVID-19 medicines during the pandemic’s second wave.

Justice Neena Bansal Krishna reserved the verdict after hearing arguments from Gambhir’s counsel, Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai, and the State’s counsel representing the Drugs Control Department.

The petition, moved in 2021 by the Gautam Gambhir Foundation, Gambhir, his mother Seema Gambhir, and wife Natasha Gambhir, challenged a trial court’s summoning order as well as the criminal complaint against them.

In September 2021, a coordinate bench of the High Court had stayed proceedings, but the stay was later vacated by Justice Krishna in April this year.

The petitioners have also sought recall of that order.

The Delhi government’s Drug Controller had initiated prosecution against the foundation, its trustees, and CEO under provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. Similar cases were also launched against then AAP MLAs Praveen Kumar and Imran Hussain over allegations of hoarding medicines and running free COVID-19 medical camps without authorization.

The High Court will now deliver its ruling on whether the case against Gambhir and others should proceed.

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