Calcutta HC Slams Drugs Control Authorities Over Blood Centre Licence Cancellation
Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court reprimanded the Drugs Control authorities for cancelling the licence of a blood centre while proceedings concerning its functioning were still pending before the court. Justice Krishna Rao expressed strong displeasure over the department's action and accused the authorities of taking advantage of the judicial leniency extended to them.
The matter arose after the court was informed that the licence of Life Care Medical Foundation had been cancelled following an earlier dispute concerning its outdoor blood collection camps. The foundation’s operations had already come under scrutiny, and the latest cancellation became the subject of further proceedings before the High Court.
In an earlier order, the court had directed the foundation to cooperate with the Drugs Control Department’s inquiry and instructed the authorities to complete the investigation within one week. The directions were issued in the context of the department’s concerns regarding the functioning of the blood centre.
The judge also recalled that the department had previously complained that the foundation was withholding documents required for the inquiry. Following that complaint, the court had specifically directed the centre to provide the necessary records and grant access required for the investigation. The latest proceedings therefore focused on the department’s decision to cancel the licence while the matter remained before the court.
The state defended the cancellation, citing deficiencies identified during the inquiry. These included shortcomings in the centre’s in-house blood collection activities. The government relied on these findings to justify the action taken against the foundation.
The foundation, on the other hand, sought a stay on the cancellation of its licence and permission to resume operations. It requested interim relief from the court while the dispute was being considered.
The court declined to grant interim relief at this stage and fixed the matter for further hearing on Thursday, reports Millennium Post.
