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4mo ago

Delhi High Court Quashes Case Against Gautam Gambhir Foundation Over COVID-19 Medicines

The judge said the pandemic relief met legal requirements for procurement, with no offence under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

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In his petition, Gambhir argued that the complaint was unjustified because he had distributed medicines free of cost and had not sold them for profit. He also said his family members had been named without basis. (HT Archive)

Overview

  • Justice Neena Bansal Krishna on November 21 quashed the Drugs Control Department’s criminal complaint and the trial summons against Gautam Gambhir, his foundation, and family members.
  • The 2021 case alleged unauthorised stocking and distribution of COVID-19 medicines, including Fabiflu and oxygen, during a free medical camp run by the foundation in Delhi.
  • The written ruling records that medicines and oxygen were procured through valid channels, properly stored without tampering, and distributed as a good‑faith humanitarian effort that did not violate the law.
  • The court noted a potential chilling effect on emergency relief if such prosecutions proceeded, issuing its 31‑page decision after a litigation path that saw a stay in September 2021, vacatur in April 2025, and arguments reserved in August.
  • Gambhir thanked the judiciary in a public post as legal commentators reported the decision could influence similar prosecutions against AAP MLAs Praveen Kumar and Imran Hussain.