Haryana Pharmacy Council to Deregister Pharmacists Over Illegal Sale of Psychotropic Drugs, MTP Kits
New Delhi: The Haryana State Pharmacy Council has announced that pharmacists involved in the illegal sale of psychotropic drugs or unapproved Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) kits will be deregistered, effectively ending their right to practice anywhere in India.
The move follows recent raids in Sirsa, where thousands of intoxicant tablets - including Tapentadol and Pregabalin - were seized, signaling a serious tightening of regulatory action under the state’s Nash Mukt Haryana campaign.
Until now, action in such cases was largely limited to cancelling pharmacy licenses through the state’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, for the first time, the new policy places direct accountability on individual pharmacists—whether owners, partners or employees—making them answerable under the Pharmacy Act, 1948. Deregistration under Section 36 of the Act can permanently end a pharmacist’s career, preventing them from resuming practice even in another state.
The decision comes after an intensified enforcement drive. On December 2, an FDA raid in Sirsa led to the seizure of a substantial stock of psychotropic tablets and the detention of two individuals. A month earlier, 35 FDA officers raided 67 chemist shops across the district, sealing 16 for unlawful sale of controlled substances. The Pharmacy Council has already received a list of around 15 pharmacists from the State Drug Controller for disciplinary proceedings.
Council Chairman BB Singal said the move was essential to close a long-standing regulatory gap. “If any pharmacist is involved in the illegal sale of psychotropic drugs or MTP kits, the Council will act,” he stated, adding that due process would include issuing show-cause notices, personal hearings and inquiries before final deregistration orders are passed.
According to a report by The Tribune, this marks the first instance where the state’s pharmacy regulator has moved beyond licence cancellations to threaten deregistration - reflecting a tougher stance aimed at curbing drug misuse and protecting public health.
