Spurious drug: HC issues notice to state CS
Himachal Pradesh High court has today issued notice to the Chief Secretary to the Government of HP, State Drug Controller, Principal Secretary(Home), Principal Secretary(Health), Deputy Commissioner Solan, Director Health Services and Superintendent of Police Solan, in a matter pertaining to spurious drugs seized in Baddi, District Solan. A Division Bench comprising the Chief Justice A. A. Sayed and Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua, passed this order, on a petition taken up suo motu, as Public Interest Litigation, by the High Court, on the basis of a newspaper item that appeared in the different daily news papers on 23.11.2022.As per news items, published in different news papers, three car occupants were detained by the Drugs Control Administration (DCA) at Barotiwala road and were arrested in connection with spurious medicines, manufactured under the leading Brands of the Key Companies, such as Ipca Laboratories, USV Pvt. Ltd. Cipla, Cadila, Macleods Pharmaceuticals, Signova Pharma among others. It was further reported that during investigation, it was found that the spurious drugs were manufactured at Baddi Barotiwala area were being smuggled to Uttar Pradesh and also sold at several places, including a Pharmacy at Agra, owned by one of the accused persons. DCA has registered a case under Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1970 against the aforesaid persons. Therefore, illegal business of spurious drugs trade is flourishing day-by-day in Baddi-Barotiwala area in District Solan, Himachal Pradesh. Curbing such activities has become a challenge and measures are required to curb the trend as spurious drugs affect health of the citizens/common man. The Court has directed the respondents to file reply affidavit within three
weeks.
