Fake antibiotic medicines worth Rs 17.5 lakh seized in raids across Gujarat; 4 held
Ahmedabad (PTI): Fake antibiotic drugs worth Rs 17.5 lakh and used to treat serious diseases have been seized in raids across various cities of Gujarat and four persons apprehended in this connection, an official said on Sunday.
Some of these persons worked as medical representatives of "benami" companies and used to deliver the fake medicines to doctors, the Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) said in a release.
The FDCA officials conducted raids in various cities such Nadiad, Surat, Ahmedabad and Rajkot and seized the fake drugs, it said.
"Fake antibiotic drugs worth Rs 17.5 lakh used to treat serious diseases were seized from Ahmedabad and other cities," Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) Commissioner HG Koshia said.
Acting on a tip-off, the Ahmedabad office of the food and drug regulator nabbed one Khimaram Kumhar in Ahmedabad with 99 boxes of POSMOX CV 625 antibiotic tablets worth Rs 2,61,250 on Friday, a release from the FDCA said.
When questioned, the man revealed the fake medicines were delivered to him allegedly by one Arun Amera, also a resident of Ahmedabad, who in-turn led the officials to another accused, identified as Vipul Degda.
From Degda, five different fake antibiotic medicines having a total value of Rs 4,83,300 were confiscated, the release said.
Degda led the officials to one Darshan Vyas, who was being questioned.
An examination of Degda's mobile phone revealed he had supplied fake antibiotic medicines to doctors in different cities of the state without bills, the FDCA said.
Later, the officials also conducted raids in Ahmedabad and other cities and seized fake antibiotic drugs worth Rs 10.50 lakh, it said.
"Some of these persons worked as medical representatives of benami companies and used to deliver these fake antibiotic medicines to doctors," stated the release.
During the probe, the FDCA found these drugs were shown as manufactured by a pharmaceutical company at Baddi in Himachal Pradesh.
When the FDCA here contacted authorities in Himachal Pradesh, they said no such manufacturing firm existed, the release said.
The four persons were detained and handed over to Isanpur police in Ahmedabad for further investigation, it said, adding a case was registered under provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
