Chandigarh (Balwinder Singh): Haryana has emerged as a leader in the nationwide fight against the illicit pharmaceutical trade, with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) executing a series of high-profile crackdowns under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. State authorities have arrested 16 individuals for their involvement in the manufacturing and distribution of spurious medicines. Of these, 12 arrests were secured by the FDA Gurugram unit, which has successfully dismantled several interstate smuggling networks and confiscated counterfeit medications valued at approximately ₹70 lakh.
The enforcement drive is being executed under the directives of Dr. Sumita Misra, Additional Chief Secretary of the Health and Family Welfare Department, who mandated strict implementation of drug safety laws against offenders. Following her instructions, State Drugs Controller Ripan Mehta ordered regional teams to prioritize intelligence-led surveillance, rigorous sampling, and rapid legal action. Since September 2025, the Gurugram FDA team, led by Drugs Control Officer Amandeep Chauhan, has been pivotal in tracking organized supply chains across state lines.
A major breakthrough occurred in April 2026, when FDA Gurugram busted a racket dealing in counterfeit Mounjaro injections—a drug used for diabetes management and weight loss. Raids in Gurugram’s DLF Phase-IV and Sector-69 led to the seizure of nearly ₹70 lakh worth of fake injections, resulting in the arrest of Avi Sharma and Muzammil Khan, who remain in judicial custody. In a separate operation in July 2026, the department dismantled an interstate network distributing fake Telma-AM tablets, tracing the supply chain to an unlicensed wholesale establishment in Delhi. This investigation also uncovered the distribution of spurious ‘Tofajak 5 mg’ tablets.
In a joint operation with the Delhi FDA, authorities raided an unlicensed residential premise in the national capital, recovering 323 types of allopathic medicines, including a large quantity of counterfeit anabolic steroids frequently sold to youth in gyms. Additionally, the department has made significant progress in the ‘Head On’ (Somatropin) injection case; while one suspect, Hariom, has been arrested, the Punjab and Haryana High Court recently rejected the anticipatory bail plea of fugitive accused Jatin Khanna.
The state’s enhanced monitoring system has further bolstered these efforts. Since April 2026, government analysts have flagged four additional drug samples as counterfeit, triggering criminal proceedings. Acting on such reports, the FDA seized approximately 23,000 capsules of ‘R Zara-DSR’ (Rabeprazole Sodium and Domperidone), commonly used for acid reflux and peptic ulcers.
Dr. Sumita Misra emphasized that the Haryana government maintains a “zero-tolerance” policy regarding public health safety. The FDA has issued a public advisory urging hospitals, wholesalers, retailers, and citizens to purchase medicines only from licensed, authorized sources. Officials reiterated that ensuring the availability of safe, genuine, and high-quality medication remains the department’s top priority, and investigations are ongoing to identify and prosecute all members of these illegal pharmaceutical cartels.
