Jammu and Kashmir drugs case: Two held

Jammu: Two brothers were held by Crime Branch of the Jammu and Kashmir Police in connection with purchase of spurious drugs by the state government, which had triggered protests in Kashmir Valley.

Amardeep Raina, one of the accused in the supply and purchase of spurious drugs, was arrested from New Delhi late last night and his brother Ashok was nabbed from here, a senior Crime Branch official said. Amardeep, who is reportedly one of the proprietors of the company which supplied the fake drugs, and Ashok have been held here for questioning, the officer said. Search is on to nab another accused Akhil Gadoo, who is reportedly the second proprietor of the company, he said. Crime Branch had registered a case in this regard, he said. The CB team has seized vital documents and other material in connection with the case during raids at various places in Jammu and outside. A report submitted on Saturday by a committee constituted by government to enquire into lapses leading to purchase of these drugs, had given clean chit to former health minister Sham Lal Sharma, who is the present PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Minister in supply of Rs 11.32 lakh spurious `Amoxicillin Trihydrate` to the state government. The committee had ordered probe by Crime Branch and Vigilance Organisation against the Proprietors of Life Line Pharmaco Surgicals and officers of purchase committee-II of Medical Education department. The report showed that the owners of Life Line Pharmaco Surgicals flouted government norms while participating in the tendering process, Crime Branch officials had said. The accused proprietors reportedly produced a fake authorisation certificate by Medley Pharmaceuticals Ltd, they said. The rate quoted by Life Line Pharmaco Surgicals was found to be the lowest by the Purchase Committee-II and supply orders were placed for 2,65,000 tablets, they said. The company supplied spurious drugs in connivance with officials of the Purchase Committee-II, the officers said. On April 05, the state government had blacklisted Life Line Pharmaco Surgical Ltd and cancelled its drug licence for supplying sub-standard antibiotic medicines meant for government hospitals. PTI