HC grants bail to four men who hoarded, sold COVID-19 medicines at exorbitant rates
The Hindu
The HC further directed the four accused to report to the police station concerned thrice a week and not to tamper with the evidence or contact any witnesses
The Delhi High Court has granted bail to four men, who were arrested for allegedly hoarding and selling at exorbitant rates life-saving medicines to treat COVID-19 patients during the second wave of the pandemic.
The high court said though the men are accused of a nefarious and depraved offence, taking into account the fact that the evidence is primarily documentary in nature and is already in the custody of police, it was of the opinion that no useful purpose would be served in prolonging their incarceration.
“It is settled law that the magnitude of the offence cannot be the only criterion for denying bail. The object of bail is to secure the presence of the accused at the trial. The object of bail is neither punitive nor preventative and the person who has not been convicted should be held in custody pending trial only to ensure his attendance at trial; and to ensure that the evidence is not tampered with and the witnesses are not threatened,” Justice Subramonium Prasad said.
In 2021, five women from Mayithara, four of them MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) workers, found a common ground in their desire to create a sustainable livelihood by growing vegetables. Rajamma M., Mary Varkey, Valsala L., Elisho S., and Praseeda Sumesh, aged between 70 and 39, pooled their savings, rented a piece of land and began their collective vegetable farming journey under the Deepam Krishi group.