FDA Cracks Down on Illegal Sale of MTP Kits: 227 Seized, 2 Arrested

In a major effort to combat the illegal sale of Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) kits online, officials from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Health Department carried out raids on pharmacies in Ghaziabad and Badaun, Uttar Pradesh. These operations led to the confiscation of 227 MTP kits that were being sold without authorization.

The operation was initiated based on directives from Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) of Health, Sudhir Rajpal, who instructed State Drug Controller Manmohan Taneja to address the illicit sale of these kits. As part of the crackdown, Amandeep, a Drug Control Officer (DCO) from Gurugram, conducted a decoy operation by placing an online order for MTP kits. Upon receiving the payment, online suppliers operating from Ghaziabad and Badaun dispatched the kits under the brand name "Unwanted" to the official address of the DCO, including instructions for use.

Taneja underscored the stringent regulations governing MTP kits, noting that the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act of 1971 and its accompanying rules from 1975 allow pregnancy termination only up to nine weeks. Furthermore, such procedures must be carried out under the supervision of a Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP) at an approved MTP center.

Following the raids, FIRs were lodged on February 11 under the MTP Act, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act at the Sector 40 police station in Gurugram. Authorities identified several suppliers involved in the case, including Satyam Tripathi Office in Ghaziabad, M/s Baba Shyam Store in Badaun, and M/s Apurva Mfg Group of Companies in Badaun.

As a result of the collaborative efforts between Haryana Police and the Health Department, two online pharmacy operators from Uttar Pradesh were arrested for allegedly supplying MTP kits to Gurugram. In addition to the 227 kits seized, officials emphasized that these drugs cannot be legally sold without a prescription from a registered gynecologist.

Officials associated with the 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' initiative highlighted that this is the first time in a decade that Haryana has successfully apprehended online pharmacy operators engaged in the illegal supply of MTP kits for sex-selective abortions. Health authorities reiterated that the sale of MTP kits online is strictly prohibited, and their use is confined to government hospitals and legally approved private medical centers for early pregnancy termination within nine weeks.

Investigators also apprehended a wholesale supplier connected to the arrested online pharmacy operators in Uttar Pradesh. ACS Health Sudhir Rajpal stressed the seriousness of the issue, stating that the illegal sale of MTP kits is part of a larger network that the Health Department is determined to dismantle. He assured that enforcement efforts would be intensified to protect female infants in the state. On February 6, Rajpal instructed the State Drug Controller to strengthen monitoring and take decisive action against unauthorized distribution of MTP pills.

As the head of both the Health and Women & Child Development (WCD) departments, Rajpal directed officials to inspect all MTP and ultrasound centers across the state, taking legal action against any found violating regulations. A senior health official disclosed that numerous women who illegally used MTP kits at home ended up in critical condition and had to be treated at government health facilities. Many of these cases led to FIRs being filed against the suppliers, and several are currently under trial.

To date, more than 1,220 FIRs have been registered under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC-PNDT) Act and the MTP Act against individuals involved in female foeticide. ACS Health has issued a strong warning against illegal abortion and sex determination practices.

Decoy Operation and Raid Details

• The Gurugram FDA and Health Department officials placed online orders for MTP kits to identify unauthorized suppliers.

• The kits were delivered to FDA Haryana’s official address in Sector 45, Gurugram, on February 11, following payment.

• A formal complaint led to an FIR being registered at the Sector 40 Police Station in Gurugram.

• Law enforcement teams, along with FDA and Health Department officials, conducted raids on supply centers in Ghaziabad and Badaun.

• Investigators found that a Ghaziabad-based online pharmacy was selling MTP kits illegally without maintaining proper acquisition records.

• Authorities recovered 191 MTP kits from this pharmacy, leading to the owner’s arrest.

• A separate raid in Badaun uncovered 36 additional illegally stocked MTP kits, indicating large-scale unauthorized distribution.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Sai Sindhuja K/MSM)