By- Divyanshi Sinha
A massive racket diverting government-subsidized medicines meant for Delhi's poor has been busted, with authorities seizing Rs 70 lakh worth of stock from five godowns in the capital. The scam, uncovered after a tip-off to the Delhi Police's economic offenses wing, involved middlemen siphoning off essential drugs like insulin, antibiotics, and cancer meds supplied via Ayushman Bharat and state schemes—reselling them at 3-5x markups in private pharmacies across NCR.
Five suspects, including two pharma distributors and warehouse owners, were arrested; raids revealed forged invoices, tampered expiry dates, and links to suppliers in Uttar Pradesh. Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj called it "looting the vulnerable," vowing a probe into CGHS and mohalla clinic supply chains. Estimates peg annual losses at Rs 500 crore nationwide, exacerbating shortages amid Iran war-driven import hikes.
Impacts hit hard: Patients at AIIMS and Safdarjung reported stockouts; opposition demands a white paper. CBI may take over, mirroring 2024's similar Gujarat bust netting Rs 200 crore.
