Fake medicines in Odisha, big racket busted

Bhubaneswar: As another substantial step towards containment of spurious drug circulation, ground level action on Uttar Pradesh (UP) link established the suspicion of Odisha’s State Task Force (STF).

Based on the inputs provided by Odisha Government in Health and Family Welfare Department to the Government of UP, UP STF raided a house under Sigra Police station on 1st March.

All spurious drug items seized from Bargarh and Jharsuguda districts of Odisha by Odisha STF were seized from house of one Ashok Kumar, resident of Bulandsahar under Secunderabad police station. He was arrested.

Basing on his confession, another go-down under Lahattara police station was also raided from where huge quantity of spurious drugs amounting to around Rs 7.35 cr were seized. Cash amounting to Rs.4 lakhs were also recovered from the spot.

The raids exhumed what is said to be “one of the biggest spurious drug rackets” in near past. It may be pertinent here to mention that Odisha Government constituted an Inter-State investigating team in mid-February this year, and deputed them to UP for carrying forward the investigation.

Secretary Health and Family Welfare IAS Shalini Pandit requested her counterpart in UP Government urging their cooperation in the matter. With inputs from Odisha Team, UP STF conducted the raids. As of now, the subsequent interrogation is going on, and STF is carrying forward its activities.