On April 27, Ghaziabad Police and a Crime Branch team arrested renowned neurosurgeon Mohammad Altamash and two associated with black marketing Remdesivir injections in the Delhi-NCR region. As per reports, Dr Altamash, resident of Hazrat Nizammudin, has served at AIIMS for a long time and runs a clinic in Ghaziabad.
The Police recovered 70 Remdesivir injections, two Actemra injections and 36 lakh rupees in cash from his possession. The Police also seized a luxury car owned by Dr. Altamash.
गाजियाबाद (यूपी) में रेमडेसिविर की कालाबाजारी में 3 आरोपी डॉक्टर मोहम्मद अल्तमश, कुमैल अकरम, जाजिब अली गिरफ्तार। 70 रेमडेसिविर, 36 लाख रुपये बरामद। डॉक्टर अल्तमश एम्स दिल्ली में कार्यरत रह चुके हैं। #Ghaziabad pic.twitter.com/6gc0sluZBI
— Sachin Gupta | सचिन गुप्ता (@sachingupta787) April 27, 2021
Sanjay Pandey, in charge of Crime Branch, said in a statement that they had received information about a gang of doctors three days ago. A victim had approached them and informed them that he had bought an injection from this gang for Rs.48 thousand. Following the information, the Police started surveillance. They caught one associate of Dr Altamash, identified as Kumail Akram, a resident of Kaila Bhatha. Upon interrogation, they found that a man identified as Jazib, resident of Induwada, had provided him injection at a reasonable price from Delhi. Police then arrested Jazib, who told them about the involvement of Dr Altamash in the racket.
थाना कोतवाली नगर व स्वाट टीम की संयुक्त कार्यवाही मे रेमेडीसीवर इन्जेक्शन की काला बाजारी करने वाले 03 अभियुक्त गिरफ्तार, कब्जे से 70 रेमेडीसीवर इन्जेक्शन, 2 अक्टेमरा इन्जेक्शन व इन्जेक्शनों की कालाबाजारी से अर्जित 36 लाख 10 हजार रू0 बरामद करने के संबंध में SP CITY की वीडियो बाईट pic.twitter.com/qWamDTLwJN
— GHAZIABAD POLICE (@ghaziabadpolice) April 27, 2021
The doctor threatened Police with high-profile contacts
When the Police caught Dr. Atlmash red-handed, the accused doctor tried to threaten the Police with his high-profile contacts. He told the Police that he has relations with all the prominent leaders in the country and ministers at central government. However, when the Police showed some strictness, all the arrogance went away. He not only confessed to the crime but also directed the Police towards a consignment of the life-saving drug in his car. The Police seized the drugs and his vehicle.
#GhaziabadPolice थाना कोतवाली नगर व स्वाट टीम की संयुक्त कार्यवाही में जीवनदायिनी इन्जेक्शन रेमेडीसीवर की काला बाजारी करने वाले 03 अभियुक्त गिरफ्तार, कब्जे से 70 रेमेडीसीवर इन्जेक्शन, 02 अक्टेमरा इन्जेक्शन व इन्जेक्शनों की कालाबाजारी से अर्जित 36 लाख10 हजार रूपये बरामद@Uppolice pic.twitter.com/2qMe39rdGA
— GHAZIABAD POLICE (@ghaziabadpolice) April 27, 2021
Injections sold for up to Rs.50,000
Sandeep Kumar Singh, Chief Police Officer, City, said that the doctor used to get the drugs from AIIMS in his name and forwarded them to his associates. Accused Jazib and Kumail used to sell these injections in Ghaziabad, Noida, Faridabad and Gurugram. He adds that for every injection, they used to charge Rs.40 thousand to Rs.50 thousand.
The police officials had posed as prospective buyers to nab the doctor and his associates. Some plainclothes officer had contacted one of the accused and has told that they need 70 Remdesivir injections. A price of Rs 38,000 per injection was agreed. The accused was caught when he came to deliver the injections.
Dr Altamash reportedly is quite famous and influential in the area. He used to appear in TV as a health expert too.
Rs.36 lakh earned in a day
According to Police reports, the doctor had earned Rs.36 lakh 10 thousand in just one day by selling Remedesvir in the black market. Apart from this, he also gave around Rs.50 lakh to other people. He had raised all the money by black marketing life-saving drugs. Police suspect that there are other officials and employees at AIIMS who might be involved in the gang. The accused are being questioned to identify others involved in the racket.
