Bengaluru, Apr 18 (IANS): Three persons were arrested for allegedly hoarding the key Remdesivir drug for treating Covid patients and selling it on the black market, police said on Sunday.

"The accused trio - Rajesh, Shakeeb and Sohail were nabbed after their premises were raided and huge stocks of the drug stored illegally seized," said the city crime branch in a statement here.

Preliminary inquiry revealed that the trio were selling Remdesivir for Rs 10,500 per injection in the black-market, far above its maximum retail price," it added.

The crime branch sleuths are investigating to find out where the accused got the injections, which are in shortage amid growing demand for the drug.

"The trio run a medical shop in the city's south-east suburb. The raids were conducted following reports in the media that the life-saving drug was in shortage due to its hoarding and illegal sale by unscrupulous elements," the statement said.

Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on April 15 warned hoarders and black-marketeers of stern action if they were found storing the drug illegally.

At least 7 pharma firms produce and sell the drug across the country under a license from the US-based Gilead Sciences.