Delhi HC withdraws Covid-drug case against Gautam Gambhir

The Delhi High Court has quashed the criminal case against Indian cricket team head coach and former MP Gautam Gambhir, his family members, and his foundation over allegations of illegally stocking and distributing COVID-19 medicines during the peak of the pandemic in 2021. The order, issued on November 21, 2025, brings an end to a four-year legal battle that had drawn widespread public attention.

The controversy dates back to April-May 2021, when Delhi was battling one of the worst COVID-19 waves. Reports had surfaced claiming that Gambhir’s office and foundation were distributing antiviral medicines to the public at a time when such drugs were in short supply. Critics alleged hoarding and unauthorised possession, leading the Delhi government’s Drug Control Department to file a complaint under Section 18(c) read with Section 27(b)(ii) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, provisions that prohibit the manufacture, sale, or distribution of drugs without a valid licence.

The complaint named Gambhir, his wife Natasha, his mother Seema, the CEO of his foundation, Aprajita Singh, and the Gautam Gambhir Foundation. In September 2021, the High Court had stayed trial court proceedings, but the case remained pending until the latest ruling.

On Friday, Justice Neena Bansal Krishna delivered the verdict, formally quashing the criminal complaint and trial court summons issued against the petitioners. The court held that the complaint was not maintainable, providing major relief to Gambhir and the other accused.

During the proceedings, the Drug Control Department argued that the petitioners had admittedly distributed drugs without a valid licence, and their only defence was that the medicines were not sold but provided free of cost. However, Gambhir’s legal team maintained that the distribution was strictly humanitarian, aimed at supporting citizens when hospitals, pharmacies, and the government were struggling to meet the overwhelming demand for COVID-19 treatment.

The petition filed by Gambhir had earlier sought quashing of the summons as well as the complaint, claiming the absence of criminal intent and stressing that no public harm resulted from the distribution. Although the High Court had vacated the initial stay in April 2024, prompting Gambhir to file a fresh recall plea, the final ruling has now settled the matter.

The judgment also absolves the Gautam Gambhir Foundation and family members serving as trustees, including his wife and mother. At the time of the verdict, Gambhir was with the Indian cricket team in Guwahati, preparing for the second Test against South Africa.