Pharmacy sealed over sale of banned drugs

PKJaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 9

The rural police along with heath authorities sealed the Willmark Pharmaceuticals Private Limited firm for allegedly manufacturing and selling banned drugs. Two chemist shops in Kathunangal have also been seized as these were operational without licence and had been selling intoxicants to drug addicts, the police said.

A police team had arrested Rajan Bhardwaj, brother of the firm’s owner Rajiv Bhardwaj, on Sunday. Earlier, Bharat Bhushan, an employee of the firm, was arrested after the police came to know about his involvement in providing intoxicating tablets to Karandeep Sharma, son of a retired superintendent of police.

Karandeep was arrested with 40,000 such tablets a few days ago. During interrogation, he told the police that he had procured the tablets for Rs 50,000 from Bharat Bhushan. Bharat Bhushan had taken Rs 5,000 as his commission for providing the same. Later, Bhushan told the police that after the arrest of Karandeep, they had shifted the entire stock to somewhere else.

Also the arrest and subsequent sealing of the firm has brought the drug inspectors under scanner. Highly placed source revealed that health officials along with cops had confiscated a huge quantity of raw material of the banned drug from a goods carrier in January this year.

The same belonged to the Willmark firm. The police had arrested three persons at that time. Though legal action was initiated under Drugs and Cosmetic Act, no concrete action was taken. Therefore, the firm owner continued to operate with impunity.

A senior police official, seeking anonymity said, “Whenever we asked drug inspectors to take action against the owners of medical stores, based on specific inputs, running in the rural belt, they took samples but didn’t take any concrete action. Therefore, such shops thrive in rural areas without the fear of law. Now, with the state-wide campaign against drug peddlers going on, we will ensure stern action against them.”

A drug inspector, preferring not to be named, said, “We have no powers of taking punitive measures. Action is taken under Drugs and Cosmetic Act and it is the court which decides the punitive action. Also drug inspectors do not have sufficient field staff.”

Amritsar (Rural) SSP Parampal Singh said the officials concerned had brought it to his knowledge. “I will raise the matter before health authorities and the district administration,” he added.

Heroin seized; 2 held

Tarn Taran: The Chabal police have arrested two persons for possessing heroin. As much as 1.3 kg of heroin was seized from their possession at a checkpoint on the bridge of Dode village, 30 km from here, on Sunday. SP Tilak Raj said the accused had been identified as J&K resident Sazad Ahmed Shekh and Tarsem Singh Shera of Rajatal (Gharinda). The seized contraband is worth Rs 6.5 crore  in the international market, he said. A case under Sections 21, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act has been registered. In another case, the Chohla Sahib police arrested Jasbir Singh of Dhun Dhai Wala with 15 gm of heroin. OC