According to the officials, the Gujarat State Food and Drugs Control Administration seized Rs 17.5 lakh fake antibiotics in a statewide raid. Four people were arrested in the concerned case.

A fake drug racket case has been registered with Isanpur police along with a process initiated under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

According to the FDCA release, H. G. Koshia, Commissioner, FDCA, Gujarat, had conducted a raid at the home of Khimaram Kumhar in Ahmedabad.

H. G. Koshia said that when they tested the antibiotics, they found that calcium carbonate was packed in the packets and that they had sent a large batch of seized drugs for further tests. He further added that they have alerted the concerned marketing agencies about the fake drugs.

Approximately 2.61 lakh worth ninety-nine boxes of POSMOX CV 625 antibiotics were seized from Khimaram Kumhar's home, as per an official statement.

According to the primary investigation, the drugs were found to be manufactured by M/s D G Pharmaceuticals, located in Himachal Pradesh, but on the investigation, no such company was found in the aforesaid state.

Khimaram Kumhar, on interrogation, accused Arun Kumar Amera of the Vatva area. Amera, on further questioning, told FDCA that he bought the fake drugs from Vipul Degda, Isanpur. A food inspector found five antibiotic drugs worth approximately Rs 4.83 lakh in Degda's residence.

The official statement said that Degda named Darshan Kumar Vyas, a resident of Navrangpur, from whom he bought the fake drugs without any bills whereas Vyas had denied all the claims and further investigations are on in this case. On examination of Degde's phone, it was found that he had supplied fake drugs to various doctors and medical stores without bills, after which raids were conducted in various parts of Gujarat (Ahemdabad, Suraj, Rajkot, and Nadiad). Fake drugs worth Rs 10.50 lakh were seized during such raids.

The statement further said that the people from whom drugs were recovered were working as medical representatives of Benami companies. They were supplying such drugs to various doctors.

A case has been registered against them under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, in the Isanpur police station for further interrogation.

(Input from Various Media Sources)

(Rehash/Dr. Shelja Chauhan)