Jhajjar: Two medical store owners booked for unauthorised sale of MTP kits

Owners of two medical stores in Bahadurgarh town of the district have been booked on charge of illegally selling medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) kits. One of the stores was also sealed.

The action follows separate raids conducted by a team of district health authorities, led by Dr Urendra Singh, Deputy Civil Surgeon (PNDT), Jhajjar, to crack down on the unauthorised sale of abortion drugs.

Acting on a tip-off received by Civil Surgeon Dr Jaymala, the Health Department formed a special team comprising Dr Deepak Sharma (Medical Officer), Drug Control Officer Mahesh and other officials. A decoy operation was planned involving a three-month pregnant woman who agreed to assist in exposing the racket.

“The decoy was first sent to a medical store located at the Patel Park locality in Bahadurgarh on Wednesday. There, store operator Devendra offered to sell her an MTP kit for Rs 800 and asked her to return at 6 pm to collect the medicine. After paying the amount, the decoy informed the health team. Later in the day, she was sent to another chemist shop in Sainik Nagar, where another seller, Narendra, agreed to provide an MTP kit for Rs 1,200. An advance of Rs 200 was paid, with the remaining Rs 1,000 to be given at the time of delivery,” said Dr Urendra.

He said at the designated time, the decoy collected the kit from both the stores. “On her signal, our team conducted raids. At Patel Park’s medical store, it was found that the shop was registered under Jitendra and Pritam but was illegally operated by Devendra. The store was sealed and a police complaint was lodged against all three and an unknown supplier, under the MTP Act, Drugs and Cosmetics Act, and relevant sections of the BNS Act,” he added.

Dr Urendra futher said at another chemist shop, it was found that Narendra did not possess a pharmacist licence and was operating the store with a BEMS (electro-homeopathy) degree, illegally selling allopathic medicines. His store was also sealed, and a case was registered against him and an unknown supplier, he added.

The health authorities stated that strict action would continue against those violating medical laws and endangering public health.