The Telangana State Drugs Control Administration (DCA) recently conducted raids at six different wholesalers in Hyderabad. During the raids, large quantities of ‘Insulin’ injections were found, which were illegally procured from drug wholesalers in New Delhi without proper purchase bills. The DCA officials seized stocks worth Rs 51.92 lakh, suspecting that the drugs were either diverted from the supply chain or were spurious.
These raids took place between March 15 and 20, where officials found insulin products claimed to be from reputed companies but purchased without any bills. The wholesalers were offering these insulin injections at a discount of more than 40 per cent, raising concerns about their authenticity. For example, a product with an MRP of Rs 5,263 was being sold for Rs 2,070 by one of the wholesalers.
The six wholesalers where the raids were conducted include Drug Hub, Padmaraonagar, Sree Raja Rajeswara Distributors, Jai Jawan Colony, Kapra, and Sri Balaji Agencies at Quthibiguda, Kachiguda. According to V B Kamalasan Reddy, DG DCA, these wholesalers sourced insulin injections illegally without purchase invoices from Bhagwati Pharma Delhi and Royal Drugs, New Delhi. This illegal procurement of medicines without bills is a violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
Obtaining medicines without purchase bills raises concerns about the quality, authenticity, and safety of the drugs, posing risks to consumers’ health. It could also indicate tax evasion as it prevents accurate reporting of expenses and revenue related to the procurement and sale of medicines.
