Surat: 2 doctors held in remdesivir sale case get bail, told to serve Covid patients

On Friday, both the accused doctors — Dr. Sahil Ghoghari (27), a resident of Kagtargam and Dr. Hitesh Dabhi, a resident of Amroli — were deployed at ICU ward of the NCH.

A Surat court on April 29 granted bail to two doctors, who were arrested for allegedly selling remdesivir injection in black market, on the condition of serving Covid-19 patients at New Civil Hospital for 15 days.

On Friday, both the accused doctors — Dr. Sahil Ghoghari (27), a resident of Kagtargam and Dr. Hitesh Dabhi, a resident of Amroli — were deployed at ICU ward of the NCH.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate R A Agrawal noted in the bail order that there is a “shortage of doctors” and if the accused doctors are released on bail amid the Covid-19 pandemic “it will definitely serve the society at large.”

In the bail orders of both the doctors, judge R A Agrawal noted, “The offence primarily registered is under non-bailable offences… It seems to this court that the accused had committed prima facie offence in order to take wrongful gain, which is against the sovereign interest and threat to social order. But at the same time it appears to the court that the present accused is a doctor who can treat people suffering from Covid-19… There is a shortage of doctors and if the present accused will be released on bail, it will definitely serve the society at large which will also be in the sovereign interest.”

“The court had laid certain conditions while granting the bail and the conditions mentioned in the order are — to serve Covid-19 patients at New Civil Hospital for 15 days from April 30. The CMO (Chief Medical officer) of NCH should… report to this court after 15 days whether the services are rendered satisfactorily or not. If any breach is done or found in the conditions then the bail will be cancelled immediately.”

Lawyer Gaurang Shah, who appeared for the accused doctors, said, “We are happy that the judge was satisfied with our arguments about the profession of both the accused.”

Surat police had arrested five persons including the two doctors and seized three remdesivir injections from their possession from Lal Gate area on April 27. Police claimed that they were selling these injections in the black market.

The other three accused were identified as Jenishkumar Popat Kakadia (23) from Bhavnagar, who is into vegetable export business; Bhadresh Nakranai (27), a resident of Punagam in Surat, who is doing construction business; Jemish Jikarda (29), a resident of Dabholi. All the five accused hails from Bhavnagar.

They were booked under IPC sections 420, 120(b), and under relevant sections of Essential Commodities Act., Disaster Management Act. and Drugs And Cosmetic Act.

The accused were produced before Surat court by Lalgate police on April 28, and were sent to one-day police remand. On April 29, when the accused were produced before the court, it rejected the police demand for extension of remand of the two doctors. All accused had moved bail applications, and out of them, only the two doctors were granted bail.

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