Talcum powder in antibiotics: Maha Congress points finger at state govt

A recent court filing in Nagpur has revealed that some antibiotics supplied to government hospitals in Maharashtra were counterfeit, containing only talcum powder and starch. This startling information comes from a 1,200-page charge sheet submitted by rural police on 20 September, following the dismantling of an interstate drug trafficking gang.

The antibiotics, produced in a veterinary medicine laboratory in Haridwar, were merely a mixture of talcum powder and starch. Investigations uncovered that funds were transferred to the perpetrators to procure these fake medicines, which were distributed across India, including hospitals in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra.

The scandal first emerged in December 2023 when drug inspector Nitin Bhandarkar discovered that antibiotics supplied to a rural hospital in Kalmeshwar were counterfeit. In response, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) registered an offence against the suppliers and distributors, leading to their blacklisting by the civil surgeon's office. The Times of India previously reported on these actions taken by FDA officials.

Rural superintendent of police Harssh A. Poddar initiated a special investigation, assigning it to IPS officer Anil Mhaske, who serves as SDPO in Saoner. As the Nagpur rural police delved deeper, they uncovered numerous similar cases across Maharashtra, including Wardha, Nanded, and Thane.

The gang's activities spanned several states, including Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jharkhand. The initial offences were registered against Hemant Muley, who had been involved in the tender process for supplying medicines to Nagpur's government hospitals. Other individuals implicated include Mihir Trivedi and Vijay Chaudhury, the latter already incarcerated for another fraud when he was apprehended by the rural police.

Chaudhury's interrogation led police to initiate a raid in Haryana after he identified a supplier named Gagan Singh. The investigation also connected Saharanpur-based Robin Taneja alias Himanshu and his brother Raman. Following leads from the Taneja brothers, authorities traced the counterfeit antibiotics back to the Haridwar veterinary laboratory run by Amit Dhiman, who was already in custody following his arrest by an Uttarakhand special task force.

The operation revealed extensive financial dealings, with the counterfeit drugs reportedly earning the gang between Rs 15 and 16 crore. Fake medication, including Ciprofloxacin, Livofloxacin, Amoxicillin, Cefixime, and Azithromycin, were marketed under the names of defunct companies. These counterfeit drugs infiltrated cities such as Nagpur, Thane, Wardha, Latur, and Nanded.

Ongoing investigations are expected to uncover further links, with officials noting that the accused may have also sold counterfeit medicines in Jharkhand, Haryana, and beyond. The funds for these fake drugs were allegedly routed from Mumbai to Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh via hawala channels, indicating a significant chain of criminal activity.

In response to the situation, the Maharashtra Congress expressed concern, questioning the state home minister's ability to protect the public amidst such an extensive fraud. “The money for fake drugs in Nagpur was being sent from Mumbai to Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh through a hawala racket. It is resulting in a big chain of crimes. In such a situation, the question arises as to how the home minister of the state calls himself the protector of the people,” the party said in a statement.