FARIDABAD: 16.03.2004 :- In a major crack down against menace of spurious / counterfeit drugs, the Health Department Haryana have booked a licensed drug trader found possessing spurious DOMSTAL TABLETS, Batch No. 5183011 at Faridabad. The raid was planned after intelligence work with the help of Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance, New Delhi. The raiding team led by Sh. G. L. Singal, Asstt. State Drug Controller, Haryana after purchasing the above said spurious drugs through decoy recovered a huge quantity (more than 10,000 tablets) of spurious Domstal tablet - used for curing vomiting, purported to be manufacture by Torrent Pharma, Gujarat. While the team was in process of raid, a large crowd of traders gathered and interfered in the raid. The team has to take the help of police to recover the spurious drugs and proceed against the traders under the provision of Drugs & Cosmetics Act 1940. A total six suspected spurious drugs samples including two samples of spurious Domstal tablet were taken and remaining stocks were seized from Sh. Rajiv Kalra owner & pharmacist of Kalra Medical Hall, Dabua Colony, Air Force Road, Faridabad. The team had also associated field manager Sh. Sanjay Sahaya of Torrent Pharma, Gujarat during the raid who confirmed the recovered drugs as "spurious". The sample of said drugs has been sent to Laboratory for the purpose of test/ analysis. [Differences observed may be obtained on request]

An FIR against the culprit has also been registered at the Police Station, Saran (Faridabad) to further investigate the source of acquisition of these spurious drugs. Meanwhile, it has been reported that the CBI, New Delhi has nabbed the accused Sh. Vinod Kalra in connection with racket of spurious drugs engulfing the NCR region after this raid and further investigations by the premier central investigative agency are under process.

In a similar drive against this menace, the department has also seized 23 suspected spurious drugs from M/s Aggarwal Medical Store, Sanjay Colony, Faridabad last month after carrying out intelligence work in association with IPA, New Delhi, which were sent to the Govt. Analyst for the purpose of testing.

While expressing concern over menace of spurious drugs, Dr. B. S. Dahiya, Director General Health Services, Haryana has warned the unscrupulous elements engaged in this illegal, unethical & inhuman trade with dire consequences. He further informed that Mr. Brij Bhalla who used to trade in spurious drugs and was nabbed in Yamuna Nagar by the department is in Jail since December, 2003. The department is committed to take stern action against such persons.