A major black market racket involving life saving cancer medication supplied by the Rajasthan government has been uncovered following a crackdown by the Delhi Police Crime Branch. High value injections allocated for free distribution to needy patients in public hospitals were illegally diverted and traded in the shadow markets of the national capital. Authorities arrested four individuals in connection with the scam and seized 22 vials of the medication from their possession, while recovering an additional 4 vials directly from Delhi's black market operators. With each single vial priced at over ₹1 lakh in the commercial market, this alarming breach has raised grave concerns regarding the integrity of public healthcare supply chains.
Inter-State Police Operation and Seizures
The Inter-State Cell of the Delhi Police Crime Branch executed a targeted raid after receiving specific intelligence regarding the illicit trade of specialized oncology drugs. During the operation, law enforcement personnel apprehended four key suspects involved in the distribution network. Officers recovered 22 vials of the expensive drug directly from the arrested individuals and traced 4 more vials that had already entered Delhi's illegal medical trade. Investigating officers are analyzing the financial transactions and logistics routes used by the group to determine the full scale of the operation and identify additional accomplices. Investigators suspect that this operation represents only a portion of a larger syndicate exploiting gaps in state hospital supply channels.
Sourced From Bikaner Hospital Quotas
Investigations revealed that the seized injections were part of an official state supply intended solely for free patient care in Rajasthan. The specific medication involved is Bavencio, chemically known as Avelumab, which is prescribed for advanced stages of cancer. The stock had been dispatched by the Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation Limited (RMSCL) to PBM Hospital located in Bikaner. Instead of reaching registered cancer patients undergoing treatment at the government facility, the high cost vials bypassed hospital inventory protocols and were smuggled across state lines into Delhi. The retail cost of over ₹1 lakh per vial makes Bavencio (Avelumab) a lucrative target for black market operators seeking immense illegal profits at the expense of critically ill patients who rely on free state health schemes.
RMSCL Notice and Official Statements
To establish accountability and map the leak, the Delhi Police Crime Branch issued a formal notice to RMSCL Managing Director Pukhraj Sen. Investigators requested complete documentation, batch tracking details, and inventory dispatch logs to determine the exact point of leakage between the warehouse and the hospital ward. Addressing the situation, RMSCL MD Pukhraj Sen acknowledged that the government-supplied injections were illegally black-marketed. He stated that the breach occurred after the shipment had been successfully delivered to PBM Hospital in Bikaner, pointing the responsibility toward local handling and stock management.
Vulnerabilities in Public Healthcare Oversight
The diversion of ₹1 lakh Bavencio (Avelumab) injections highlights persistent vulnerabilities in state drug monitoring systems. The failure to safeguard high value government inventory deprives underprivileged patients of critical therapy while enabling illicit profits. This incident is not an isolated breach, as Rajasthan's government medical distribution system has faced previous allegations regarding the leakage of subsidized medicines. As Delhi Police continue their inter-state investigation, scrutiny is expected to intensify on hospital staff, logistics managers, and inventory supervisors accountable for tracking life saving stock.
