On the basis of specific criminal intelligence, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched a nationwide drive against large-scale malpractices in public distribution, adulteration of petroleum products, misbranded and adulterated spurious drugs, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
As part of this exercise surprise inspections were conducted by the Bhopal, Jabalpur and Bhilai branches of the CBI between May 12 and 19. Briefing mediapersons, DIG CBI for Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Hemant Priyadarshy said here on Thursday that the drug inspector, central drugs standard control organisation (CDSCO) for west zone had conducted surprise inspection in the presence of CBI officials and found that a drug manufacturing firm at Ujjain was not maintaining the essential infrastructure and production norms. The drugs produced at this unit were dumped in the most unhygienic conditions. The drugs were stored without the mandatory label indicating batch, date of manufacture, and the expiry date. The technical staff, including pharmacists and lab technicians, were not employed as per the drug licence, Mr Priyadarshy told journalists.
In a joint surprise check, he said that documents pertaining to purchase and supply of drugs and medicines and other relevant documents of Central Railway Hospital and India sales corporation at Jabalpur were being scrutinised. Samples of allegedly sub-standard and spurious medicines under RDPL label were collected from the premises of both these establishments, Mr Priyadarshy said. Mr Priyadarshy said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had announced that 71 new CBI courts would be set up across the country.