Crime Branch submits report to HC on fake drugs

The state Crime Branch (CB) today informed the High Court that it has recorded statements of 60 persons and seized voluminous record pertaining to supply of fake drugs to government hospitals in Jammu and Kashmir.
The report also said that the CB had sent samples of the antibiotic for testing, which was found to be sub-standard, to a forensic science laboratory outside the state.
Computer hard discs of officials concerned have been seized and sent to a laboratory in Delhi for data analysis, the CB report said.
The investigating agency has also sent questionnaires to members of the Central Purchase Committee and Verification Board with regard to the purchase of sub-standard drugs.

The Health Department, in its report, informed the Court that the old purchase committee and the verification board have been disbanded and new members appointed to these bodies.
The department has also removed then in-charge, Director Health Services, Jammu as part of its investigation into the scam.
A division bench of the High Court is hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by the Doctors Association Kashmir who are seeking registration of a criminal case against then Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma and members of the purchase committee for allegedly procuring fake drugs for government hospitals in the state.
The supply of fake drugs case came to light when random laboratory analysis of an anti-biotic drug showed that there was no trace of Amoxycillin in it, against the manufacturer's claim of 500 mg.