Five Pharmacists Booked for Allegedly Selling Counterfeit Life-Saving Medicines
Pune: The Vishrambaug police have registered a criminal case against five pharmacists for allegedly selling counterfeit medicines that were prescribed to critically ill patients, officials confirmed.
The case was filed following a complaint by an official of the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration after laboratory analysis revealed that certain medicines did not contain the active ingredients in the quantities mentioned on their labels. The samples had been collected during inspections conducted across various pharmacies in the state last June.
Police officials from the Vishrambaug Police Station stated that the drugs in question were reportedly used for treating patients suffering from serious conditions such as burns and liver failure. Authorities noted that some of these medicines were considered life-saving, raising concerns about potential risks to patients.
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Laboratory tests conducted by state health authorities reportedly found discrepancies between the declared composition and the actual medicinal content of the seized products. Following the findings, regulatory officials initiated legal proceedings against the shop owners and individuals allegedly involved in the supply chain.
According to a recent media report in The Times of India, investigators are now working to trace the origin of the suspected counterfeit drugs and identify the manufacturers responsible for producing them. Police are also examining whether these medicines were supplied to local hospitals in Pune.
Officials stated that statements of the accused pharmacists are being recorded, and further investigation is underway to determine the extent of distribution and prevent similar incidents in the future.
