Mumbai cops grill pharma director over ‘excess’ Remdesivir stock; BJP fumes

Some Maharashtra BJP leaders went to Daman recently to meet Bruck Pharma officials, Fadnavis said

The BJP vs ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi fight got bitter on Sunday when Mumbai Police detained the director of a Daman-based pharmaceutical company with whom the saffron party was in touch for supplies of life-saver Remdesivir vials in Maharashtra.

As soon as the news came in that the Director of Daman-based Bruck Pharma Pvt Ltd was being questioned at the Vile Parle police station, Leader of Opposition in Assembly Devendra Fadnavis, his counterpart in the Council Pravin Darekar and BJP MLC Prasad Lad rushed there and confronted the police officers.

Bruck Pharma is an exporter of Remdesivir, the broad-spectrum antiviral medication developed by the biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences.

Also read: Maharashtra govt harassing Remdesivir supplier from Daman: BJP

In India seven companies produce it – Cadila Healthcare Ltd (Remdec), Syngene International Ltd (RemWin), Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd (Redyx), Cipla Ltd (Cipremi), Mylan Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd (Desrem), Jubiliant Generics Ltd (Jubi-R) and Hetero Healthcare Ltd (Covifor).

As the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic cripples India, there is a massive demand-supply gap of Remdesivir leading to acute shortage – and the government of India has banned exports for now.

Acting on information about the storage of Remdesvir and possible export by air cargo, Mumbai police called upon the Director of Bruck Pharma and questioned him for nearly 45 minutes around midnight. He was allowed to leave after necessary procedures.

The Maharashtra unit of the BJP had taken the initiative to reach out to various pharma companies due to the shortage of Remdesivir.

Also read: Centre's Remdesivir politics brutal, disgrace to humanity: Maharashtra Congress

Fadnavis, a senior BJP leader and former Chief Minister, said: “As we all are fighting against the Covid-19 pandemic in such a difficult times, in an extremely shameful act, the MVA Government suddenly detained officials of Bruck Pharma who was supposed to supply Remdesivir to Maharashtra.”

Fadnavis said that the company took all permissions from Maharashtra government and the Daman administration, even Union Chemical and Fertilizer Minister Mansukh Mandaviya himself asked him to supply maximum Remdesivir to Maharashtra. “And if MVA is still busy doing such cheap politics, it is a matter of utter shame.. We don’t want to politicise it, but all we can say is that this is not the rule of law and not in the interest of Maharashtra at all , especially in such emergency and challenging times of pandemic...he was harrassed as BJP has taken the initiative,” he said.

A senior Mumbai police official said, "A director of a pharma company, which supplies Remdesivir, was questioned by the police in connection with the stock of the vials." "Based on specific information, police held the pharma company director at Vile Parle,” he said. After export was banned, he had stocked up at least 60,000 vials of the drug. The state and central government has allowed him to sell it in the (domestic) market, he said. "As we found he did not violate any laws, we did not take any legal action against him. He was questioned about the stock, following which he produced necessary documents," the official said.

Also read: Maharashtra govt, Centre spar over Remdesivir supply to Covid-ravaged state

The political slugfest started on Saturday morning when Maharashtra minister and NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik alleged the Centre was pressurising some Remdesivir producers to not sell their stock in Maharashtra.

Joining state BJP leaders, two Central ministers hit back at the Maharashtra government, calling these allegations "a lie" and termed them an attempt to politicise the pandemic.

Fadnavis said, "Malik and some ministers have nothing to do with the troubles of people suffering from coronavirus pandemic. They are more interested in indulging in politics.”

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress general secretary Sachin Sawant said: “Absolutely astonishing to see both Leaders of Opposition putting pressure on Mumbai Police for a businessman. What is the fault of police? They had intelligence that a large stock of 60000 viles of Remdesivir is hiding with exporters. After export ban, company must inform CDSCO and state FDA details of stock left with them .Mumbai police had called director for inquiry but he kept evading. After two days he came. But BJP leaders became so upset that they personally rushed for his support.”

The Congress contratulated Deputy Commissioner of Police Manjunath Singe and his team for doing their duty.

(With agency inputs)