Sonu Sood intervenes in Bombay high court case on COVID drugs distribution

Actor Sonu Sood has filed an intervention application in the Bombay high court with regards to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Nilesh Navalakha that highlighted the alleged hoarding and unauthorized distribution of anti-viral drugs through social media by politicians and celebrities. While hearing the PIL on 16 June, the court directed the Maharashtra government to 'seriously examine' the actions of Sood and MLA Zeeshan Siddique in light of the plea.

The actor, whose plea was filed on Monday, has alleged that the petitioner was out to destroy his reputation and was trying to defame him.

According to the legal website Livelaw.in, Sood's application read, "By twisting and misrepresenting the true state of affairs, the petitioner has persuaded the court to form an opinion to the effect that he (Sood) has indulged in illegal activities of hoarding&/illegal stocking of aforesaid medicines (sic)." 

The intervention application was heard by a bench of justice Dipankar Datta and justice GS Kulkarni today. 

On 16 June, the court had observed that there was a criminal case against the BDR Charitable Trust and its trustees for supplying medicine to needy patients who approached Siddique through Twitter. Yet, the police had not filed any complaint against the legislator. The same observation was also extended to the Sonu Sood Foundation, which also provided similar services during the second wave of the pandemic. 

The bench, which comprised justice SP Deshmukh and justice GS Kulkarni, observed that while the two played an important role in distributing medicine to the needy, there needs to be a check on the nature of the acquisition of the medicines. The court asked the state government to examine their actions, and provide an affidavit on 25 June.