Vigilance arrests chemist selling sanitizers, masks at exorbitant rates in Punjab

In a bid to keep a check on the prices of essential commodities during the curfew imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19, Punjab Vigilance Bureau arrested a chemist who was found to be selling sanitizers and masks at exorbitant rates to the public.

Disclosing this, a spokesperson of the Vigilance Bureau said Chief Director Vigilance Bureau BK Uppal has already directed all the officers to keep a strict vigil on the shops and suppliers in the state to check the prices and hoardings of essential goods during the curfew.

On the basis of complaints received, a VB flying squad team led by AIG Ashish Kapoor raided the Indus Pharmacy in phase 3B-2, SAS Nagar and found that sanitizers and masks were being sold at much higher rates than normal rates. The vigilance team immediately arrested the owner of the chemist shop Dinesh Kumar.

In this regard, an FIR number 64 has been registered against him under section 188 of IPC at police station Matour, SAS Nagar.

Vigilance Bureau chief BK Uppal has already directed all the field Vigilance officers to coordinate with district administration and district police to cooperate and assist them in every possible manner.

Apart from this, all officials have also been instructed to keep a close watch on the vendors and suppliers who are hoarding essential items meant for the public and deliberately not following the orders of the Government to prevent the spread of coronavirus.