Himachal's Pharma Scandal: Unlicensed Drug Manufacturing Uncovered

Medicines valued at Rs six lakh were seized from an unlicensed pharma unit in Himachal's Una district. The unit was found to be illegally manufacturing drugs. Authorities are cracking down on numerous such operations in the state, following a zero-tolerance policy against regulatory violations.

Medicines worth Rs six lakh were seized from a pharma unit operating without a license in the Bathu area of Himachal Pradesh's Una district, officials revealed on Friday. The raid, conducted by Una police and the drug department, exposed illegally manufactured drugs.

Acting on a tip-off, the investigative team, led by Special Investigation Branch in-charge Sunil Kumar Sankhyan, discovered unlicensed tablets within the facility, which had its license revoked in 2011 due to serious deficiencies. Despite the closure, production continued without proper authorization, explained Drug Inspector Pankaj Gautam, who clarified that the seized drugs were for general use.

Authorities are pursuing charges against the factory owner under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, with investigations ongoing to trace the distribution channels and any other parties involved. Further inspections revealed multiple violations in the state, leading to state-wide raids by the Drug Control Administration to combat illegal drug manufacturing.

(With inputs from agencies.)