Solan/Paonta Sahib, July 6,
In a major breakthrough, officials of the Drugs Control Administration, Himachal Pradesh, in collaboration with the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), have busted a racket involved in the supply of spurious Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs). Three individuals have been arrested in connection with the case.
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Acting on a specific tip-off, a joint inspection team conducted a surprise raid at a wholesale drug premises located near the Paonta Sahib bus stand in Sirmour district. Though the premises held a valid license for drug distribution till December 2028, two APIs—Thiocolchicoside and Azithromycin—were found stored without valid purchase records and are suspected to be spurious. Thiocolchicoside is commonly used for treating inflammation and muscle spasms, while Azithromycin is a widely prescribed antibiotic. According to Himachal Pradesh Drugs Controller Dr. Manish Kapoor, the owner and licensee of the premises failed to produce any purchase documentation for the stored APIs and has been taken into custody.
Initial investigations suggest that the spurious drugs were being sourced from Uttarakhand, leading to two more arrests in the neighbouring state. Officials have indicated that further arrests may follow as the inquiry progresses. Dr. Kapoor reiterated the state government’s zero-tolerance policy toward such criminal activities, stating that those playing with human lives by circulating fake drugs will face stringent action under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. He added that the Licensing Authority and Drug Inspector have been directed to expedite the investigation and initiate appropriate legal proceedings.
In a related development, 38 drug samples manufactured in Himachal Pradesh, including several from Solan district, were recently declared “Not of Standard Quality” in CDSCO’s February 2025 bulletin. Among them were commonly used formulations such as Amoxyheal-CV, Rabicy-20, and Diclowin Plus. The state Drug Department affirmed its commitment to ensuring that only safe, effective, and quality medicines reach the public and emphasized that joint operations with CDSCO and other regulators will continue to safeguard public health.
