Gautam Gambhir, his foundation and his wife and mother have been accused of illegally stocking and distributing COVID-19 drugs.
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO
The Delhi High Court on Monday declined to stay for now the trial court proceedings against Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir, his foundation and others accused of illegally stocking and distributing COVID-19 drugs in 2021.
Justice Neena Bansal Krishna, however, agreed to hear on August 29 the accused’s petition for quashing the FIR and recalling an April 9 order that vacated the stay on the trial court proceedings.
“Once you get a stay, you stop appearing, the investigation stops, nothing survives and the whole case goes (away),” the judge told Mr. Gambhir’s counsel.
Mr. Gambhir’s counsel said the former East Delhi MP had helped people by donating oxygen cylinders and medicines during the pandemic, when the entire health system had collapsed and the government too was incapacitated.
The court said these points were immaterial to the case.
“Had you made a simple request, I would have considered it. You are trying to tell me so many things. Firstly, the name (of the party), his credentials, the work done by him… You are name dropping as if it will work in the court. It does not work,” the judge remarked.
The counsel apologised and said he was not trying to “name drop” but the trial court was scheduled to hear the matter on September 8.
The counsel urged the court to either restore the stay on trial court proceedings or hear his plea before that date, otherwise Mr. Gambhir’s wife and mother would be summoned.
The Drug Control Department had filed a complaint against Mr. Gambhir, the Gautam Gambhir Foundation, the foundation’s CEO Aprajita Singh, Mr. Gambhir’s mother and wife, Seema Gambhir and Natasha Gambhir — who are both trustees in the foundation — for offences under the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
Published – August 26, 2025 01:18 am IST
