Hyderabad: The Telangana Drugs Control Administration (DCA), Karimnagar Zone, raided Srinivasa Medical and General Stores, located in Osmanpura, Karimnagar, and discovered drugs supplied for ESI hospital illegally stocked for sale.
During the raid, five types of drugs labelled ‘ESI SUPPLY NOT FOR SALE’ were seized, with the stock valued at Rs 4.87 lakh. The seized medications included antidiabetic and antiasthmatic drugs, among others.
DG DCA, V Kamalasan Reddy, reported that Dunaboina Murali Rao, a pharmacist grade-II at the ESI dispensary in SPM Colony, Sirpur-Kagaznagar, Kumuram Bheem Asifabad district, had illegally diverted ESI hospital supplies to managing partner of Sri Srinivasa Medical and General Stores, Gampa Krishna, in Karimnagar.
The raid was conducted by the assistant director, Karimnagar, M Srinivasulu, alongside drugs inspectors P Karthik Bharadwaj, T Chandana and P Shravan Kumar, from Karimnagar, Mancherial and Peddapalli.
DCA officers have taken samples for analysis, and further investigation is underway. Legal action will be taken against all offenders in accordance with the law.
Government pharmacists found guilty of illegally diverting hospital supplies are punishable under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act (DCA), with stringent measures promised against such individuals.
Officials warned that the illegal stocking of ESI hospital supply drugs for sale is punishable under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, with imprisonment of up to two years.