Himachal Drug Licensing Authority-Pharma Unit Nexus To Be Probed

Shimla: With arrest of the state drug licensing authority on bribery charges while doing the rounds of pharmaceutical units in Baddi, last Friday, the government sensing a larger scam in the play has said that “manufacturing of sub-standard drugs would not be allowed.”

Health Minister Dr Rajiv Bindal told My Himachal News that Sher Singh Thakur, the state drug controlling authority who was nabbed by the state vigilance agency allegedly for collecting bribes from pharmaceutical units at Baddi, last Friday stands suspended.

On being pointed out that arrest of Thakur revealed a nexus between the manufacturing units and the state drug licensing authorities, Bindal said, “manufacturing of sub-standard drugs will not be allowed in the state.”

Should the inquiry being conducted necessitate, the government will not hesitate in inspecting manufactured drugs or ordering an inquiry into the matter, he said.

Pharma Units Having Illegal Dealings With Thakur To Be Probed – Vigilance Team

Heading the vigilance team inquiring into the criminal case, Superintended Police AP Singh told My Himachal News, “those pharmaceutical units suspected of having illegal dealings with the state drug controlling authority would subsequently also be inquired into. At the moment we are busy collecting all evidences against Sher Singh Thakur.”

Interestingly only a fortnight prior to Thakur’s arrest, the government had set aside a three member committee that used to oversee the whole drug licensing process in the state.

Doing away with the committee on the pretext that it involved red-tapism and unnecessary delays, the government had reverted to an earlier system where the powers were delegated to a one member authority headed by Thakur.

Vigilance officials, hot on on the case have unearthed that the state drug controllers assets run into crores and a case under Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered for owning assets more than known sources of income.

Vigilance team head AP Singh said that investigators had stumbled upon papers of built up properties in Shimla, Solan and Mohali, a plot in Una, several bank accounts and lockers, Rs 15 lakh unaccounted cash, fixed deposits of Rs 5 lakh, papers of several land dealings and several general power of attorneys from Thakurs residence at Solan.

Ravinder Makhaik

As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.

Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.