Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday ordered a Crime Branch probe into the recent seizure of a huge stock of spurious ‘Favipiravir’, a prescribed drug for Covid-19 treatment, from a chemist shop in Cuttack.
“Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has directed crime branch to investigate into the incidence of fake drug case,” said a statement issued by the government.
The fake Favipiravir medicine were seized from M/s. Medilloyd Medicament Private Limited during a raid by Drugs inspectors in Cuttack on June 10.
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During the raid, it was found that the firm procured 58,000 tablets of "Favimax-400" from one M/s. Max Relief Health Care, Gautam Budh Nagar, U.P., out of which he had supplied 40,600 tablets to M/s. Shri Mahadev Medicals and Surgicals, Gwalior (M.P.).
Out of the available stock of 17,400 tablets, 400 tablets were drawn for statutory testing and the balance 17,000 tablets were seized under the provision of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act and Rules thereunder.
The Cuttack based firm had also purchased nine more drugs from the dubious manufacturer.
"The raid continued on June 11 and it was found that nine other drugs allegedly manufactured by M/s. Max Relief Health Care, Solan, has also been purchased by the firm," the Health Department said in a release.
To ascertain the genuinity of these drugs and assess their quality, statutory samples of these drugs were drawn and balance stocks have been seized.
"Since these 9 drugs were found to have been supplied to different districts, all the Drugs inspectors have been alerted in the matter. As per available information, seizures have been made in Bolangir, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Rourkela and Bhubaneswar on June 11. The raids are continuing," the Health department release stated.