Delhi Hc: Challenge Petition Filed For Non-Disclosure Of Investment In Covaxin, Union Health Ministry Celebrated – Delhi Hc Challenge Petition Filed For Non-Disclosure Of Investment In Covaxin

Delhi Supreme Court
Photo: PTI

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The Delhi High Court on Monday declared Bharat Biotech and the Union Ministry of Health and Family party to the Right to Information Act (RTI) in two petitions seeking information on investments and costs involved in developing India’s indigenous Covaxin. Judge Pratibha M Singh hears three petitions challenging the Central Information Commission (CIC) order not to provide these details, citing trade secrets, intellectual property and India’s sovereignty and integrity. Bharat Biotech and the Ministry of Family Welfare had previously been made defendants in only one of these petitions. The court heard the case on March 16.

The Court said that both are necessary respondents in all pleadings and therefore a joint memorandum of the parties must be submitted in all petitions. Counsel appearing before Bharat Biotech told the court that the petitioner, lawyer T Prashant Reddy, has been reprimanded by the central government for working against India’s interests and also spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic. Reddy’s counsel, lawyer Swati Sukumar, disputed the allegation, saying the comments related to the deaths of children in The Gambia who had used Indian cough syrup and not the COVID-19 pandemic or vaccines. The court asked counsel appearing before Bharat Biotech to register the Centre’s notice to Reddy. The Court also took note of the allegation that the CIC refused to provide the information to the petitioner.