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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Police refused to file FIR in Baramati plane crash; our suspicion growing stronger, says Rohit Pawar
Mumbai (PTI): NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar on Wednesday claimed that the Mumbai police refused to file an FIR in connection with the plane crash, in which Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed, and said the refusal has deepened the suspicion surrounding the accident.
The government and the machinery appeared to be protecting someone, he alleged.
Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday directed the grounding of four aircraft of VSR Ventures, whose plane crashed at Baramati on January 28, killing Ajit Pawar and four others.
Following the crash of the Learjet 45 aircraft (VT-SSK), the aviation regulator had ordered a special safety audit of VSR Ventures, and the audit team observed several non-compliances of approved procedures in the area of airworthiness, air safety, and flight operations.
In a message posted on a social media platform, Rohit Pawar claimed, "While awaiting appropriate action regarding Ajitdada's plane crash, yesterday the DGCA report arrived stating that this accident was caused by the negligence of VSR company."
However, since no FIR has been filed in this regard, he along with party MLC Amol Mitkari, Idris Naikwadi and MLA Sandeep Kshirsagar, went to the Marine Drive police station in south Mumbai to demand registration of an FIR under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), he said.
He claimed that when the process to record his statement began, a senior police official refused to register the FIR and instead accepted their application merely as a formality.
"The conduct of the police has further intensified our suspicion regarding the plane crash. If even after demands by elected representatives from both the opposition and the ruling parties the police are discarding the demand to register an FIR, it is unfortunate for Maharashtra," Pawar, who represents the Karjat-Jamkhed assembly constituency in Ahilyanagar district, said in the post.
The government and the machinery appeared to be protecting someone, he alleged, and questioned whether Ajit Pawar would get justice if such a situation persisted.
The NCP (SP) legislator said they would not relent until the matter is taken to its logical conclusion.
He added that at 9 am on Thursday, all those who love his uncle Ajit Pawar would go to the Baramati taluka police station to press for registration of an FIR.
While the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is expected to come out with its preliminary report into the fatal crash before February 28, concerns have been raised in certain quarters claiming there could have been a conspiracy that led to the crash.
