“Will see how far Kejriwal can run…”: BJP Delhi chief guns for CM after MHA orders CBI probe into supply of ‘sub-standard’ drugs

New Delhi: Launching a scathing attack on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) directed a CBI probe into alleged procurement and supply of spurious and non-standard drugs in government hospitals and mohalla clinics in the national capital, the BJP’s Delhi chief Virendra Sachdeva on Friday said he wanted to see how far the AAP convenor can ‘run’ from ongoing investigations.

The Delhi CM has already skipped three summonses by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in connection with the excise policy case, accusing the BJP-led Centre of nursing ‘political vendetta’ and using central agencies at its disposal to hound and harass Opposition leaders.

Speaking to ANI on Friday, the BJP’s Delhi chief gunned for Kejriwal, saying, “We welcome the (MHA’s) decision to institute a CBI investigation into the supply of below-standard drugs to government hospitals in the national capital. The probe will throw new light on the reasons why such low-quality medicines were supplied to government hospitals, thereby endangering the health of patients. It will also reveal the extent of kickbacks to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues. This scam is tantamount to playing with public health. It is shameful.”

“We will see how far and how much Kejriwal can run from ongoing investigations,” Sachdeva added.

“Will see how far Kejriwal can run…”: BJP Delhi chief guns for CM after MHA orders CBI probe into supply of ‘sub-standard’ drugs

Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/aVtvQ6S35w#ArvindKejriwal #VirendraaSachdeva #CBI #MohallaClinics pic.twitter.com/JZVNgMlXsw

— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) January 5, 2024

Earlier, on Friday, the MHA recommended a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the alleged procurement and supply of spurious and non-standard drugs in hospitals run by the Delhi government and mohalla clinics, sources said.

Further, according to sources, the MHA also directed the CBI to register an FIR into the supply of ‘sub-standard’ drugs to government hospitals in the Capital.

Delhi government’s Directorate of Vigilance had on December 26 written to the Union Home Ministry, requesting it to assign the investigation into the supply of “sub-standard” drugs to state-run hospitals to the CBI.

AAP leader and Vigilance Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj wrote to the Health Secretary over the allegation of sub-standard drugs at public hospitals and the primary health clinics, which the AAP government has often highlighted as an illustration of its model of governance, urging the latter to procure alternative arrangements.

“It has been brought to my notice that the Vigilance Department, GNCTD, has directed the secretary (health) to immediately remove the five drugs that were ‘not of standard quality’, from the stock where they have been supplied,” read Bhardwaj’s letter to the Health secretary.

“It was observed that in the recent past, certain essential consumables like absorbent cotton wool and rolled bandages were found ‘not of standard quality’ and were removed from the stock where they were supplied. The hospital authorities then did not make any alternative arrangements for the same and consequently, patients were inconvenienced since they were required to buy these consumables out of their own pockets,” it read further.

“Since the aforementioned five drugs, which are to be removed from the stock, are also essential in nature and required for treatment of the hypertensive disorder, seizure disorder, gastritis infections and respiratory diseases, hence, alternative arrangements should immediately be in place to make them available so that the general public is not inconvenienced and the treatment of patients is continued uninterrupted,” Bhardwaj wrote to the Health secretary.

“You are directed to inform me regarding the alternative arrangements made by DGHS and the hospitals for making available the five medicines, amlodipine, levetiracetam, pantoprazole, cephalexin and dexamethasone, of standard quality and their fresh stock position in the healthcare facilities, at the latest within a week,” the letter stated further.

Earlier, Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena wrote to the Home Ministry, recommending a CBI inquiry in the matter.