Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad files police complaint against 'missing' official

Bengaluru: Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad filed a police complaint against nodal officer, Kempaiah Suresh who is responsible to regulate Remdesivir supply.

Arshad stated that he had tried to meet Suresh in his office and request him to provide the antiviral drug, but the official was neither present in his office nor was he available on phone.

"I have publicly tried to meet him several times as many Covid patients from Bengaluru city have requested me to provide Remdesivir, but he was not present in office nor was he available on his mobile phone. I am yet to get a call back from him. He is constantly missing," Arshad alleged.

The Congress leader remarked that the official's behaviour is not in line with the National Disaster Management Act and stated that Suresh was responsible for the death of many patients who did not get medication on time.

"We have seen several stories of patients struggling to procure Remdesivir and dying since they could not get medicines. The MLA said medicine is available in the black market at exorbitant price and people are buying Remdesivir injections at a very high price," Arshad added.

He asked the police to investigate the actual reason for his 'disappearance'.

The city police have launched a cracked down on black marketing of the antiviral drug.

DCP North Dharmender Kumar Meena on Thursday had arrested six offenders in different raids across the north division.

Each vial is being sold at eight times higher than government rates.