Crime Branch, vigilance to probe J-K spurious drug scam

The Jammu and Kashmir government tonight ordered separate probes by the Crime Branch and the Vigilance Department into the purchase and supply of spurious drugs in the state.
"A detailed probe into the spurious drug 'Amoxicillin Trihydrate', IP batch No PBT-1583, supplied to the Health institutions in the state was referred to the Crime Branch," Health Minister Shabir Ahmad Khan told reporters here.
"The matter has also been referred to the Vigilance Department to ascertain the role of various officials involved," he said.
"The Drug Control Department through its testing laboratory revealed that Amoxicillin Trihydrate, manufactured in August 2012 and supplied by M/S Life Line Pharmaco Surgical, has zero potency and, hence, failed the test," the Minister said.

Subsequently, all medicines of this make and batch were seized and no further use was allowed, he said.
These spurious medicines to the tune of Rs 11.23 lakh were supplied to the government, Khan said.

When asked about the involvement of former Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma in the scam and whether the inquiry committee, set up by the state government, had indicted him, the Minister said "no".
Further inquiries would be conducted by the Crime Branch and the Vigilance Department, Khan said.
The inquiry committee, which was set up by the state government on April 4 to submit a report within 15 days, did not indict former Health Minister and present PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control minister Sham Lal Sharma.