Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 7: The State Vigilance Organization has booked former Managing Director of Jammu Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Ltd (JKMSCL), Ex-Principal of Government Medical College Jammu and four others for purchasing spurious medicines on exorbitant rates by the Government Health Department, Jammu, without following proper procedure.
On the basis of a Joint Surprise Check, conducted by Vigilance Organization, a case FIR No. 22/2017 P/S VOJ, has been registered against Dr Yashpal Sharma, then Managing Director JKMSCL, Dr Ghanshyam Dev, then Principal GMC Jammu, Dr Rameshwar Sharma, Senior Consultant Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar, Jammu, Sayed Shabir Ahmad, FA/CAO JKMSCL, Dr Rakesh Verma, Consultant/Physician (Technical Expert), Dr Parkash Atri, Technical Expert of the supplier Theon Pharmaceutical Ltd, 400 Indl Area, Phase-I Panchkula 134113 Haryana and others under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.
Following registration of FIR, teams of Vigilance Organization Jammu, headed by DySPs, under the supervision of SSP VOJ, Jammu, Shabir Ahmad Malik, also conducted simultaneous raids and searched the houses of various accused persons at Jammu and Udhampur districts. Relevant records and documents pertaining to the case were seized during the searches, official sources told the Excelsior.
The Joint Surprise Check was conducted by Vigilance Organization, Jammu into the allegations of purchase of spurious drugs/medicines on exorbitant rates during the year 2015-2016 by Government Health Department, Jammu without following proper procedure.
During the course of JSC, records were obtained and enquiries made on spot besides samples of various drugs/medicines were lifted from the Government Health Stores/ hospital in Jammu district with the assistance of concerned Drug Inspectors. The samples of drugs so lifted from the hospitals and drug stores of Health Department were sent to Government analyst of Combined Drug and Food Laboratory, Jammu.
As many as 23 samples of different drugs, being consumed by general public, were lifted from Government Hospitals and drug stores and sent to the laboratory for tests. Out of 23 samples of drugs/medicines, three samples of AmoxycillinTrihydrate IP 500 mg Bt. No. BC160005, Sterile Ceftriaxone Inj IP 1000mg Bt. No. CFXM 16031 and Sterile Ceftriaxone Inj IP 500mg Bt. No. CFXI 16002, purchased by JKMSCL, were reported to be not of standard quality and failed in different constituents of drugs.
The enquiries revealed that these medicines were supplied by M/s Theon Pharmaceutical Ltd, 400 Indl Area, Phase-I Panchkula 134113 Haryana. This firm was placed supply order No. JKMSCL/Adm/PO/2015-16 (10281500048) dated 24-12-2015 for the supply of 2448400 (1×10) Amoxycillin 500 mg, supply order No. JKMSCL/Adm/PO/2015-16 (10281500062) dated 24-12-2015 for the supply of 170708 numbers Inj Ceftriaxone 500 mg and supply order vide No. JKMSCL/drugs/state/2015-16 (102815000435) dated 14-03-2016 for the supply of 279800 numbers of Inj Ceftriaxone IP 1gm.
The supplies were received in the drug stores of different units of Health Services in Jammu division. These medicines were then distributed to the Government Hospitals and institutions where the same were issued to patients and most of them were consumed/utilized.
The total value of the medicines declared sub-standard is Rs 36, 27,511.52 which amounts to direct loss to the Government exchequer as well as hazardous public health. However, the value of the medicines left unconsumed and seized by the Drug Control Organization is Rs 1, 16,544.00.
The enquiry also revealed that M/s Denis Chem. Lab Ltd, Block No. 457, village Chhatral, TA Kalol (NG) District Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat, Adm Office M/s Denis Chem Lab Ltd 401, Abhishreeopp Om Tower Satellite Road, Ahmadabad, was blacklisted by Government of Rajasthan vide order No. f.2 (448) RHSDP/ EPMC/ 2012/ 4442 dated 24-01-2012 of Rajasthan Health System Development Project for 15 different products of Dextrose Injection, including Compound Sodium Lactate Inj RL 500 ml, which is also found purchased by MD JKMSCL J&K in the same tender.
Moreover, the Purchase Committee, which approved the instant purchases, did not have the mandate to approve the purchase due to the lack of quorum on part of Purchase Committee.
According to the rules, the attendance of 2/3 members of the Purchase Committee is mandatory for the decision where as in the present case, only four members including the Chairman, attended the meeting of Purchase Committee while rest all the officials who attended the meeting, were not members of the committee as per Government order No. 452-HME of 2014 dated 01-08-2014.
In this case, the MD JKMSCL has also misused his official position and imposed arbitrary decision of approval of purchase to extend illegal benefit to the suppliers.
As such, a case FIR No 22/2017 P/S VOJ, has been registered in Vigilance Organization, Jammu, under section 5 (1) (d) r/w 5(2) J&K PC Act 2006 and Section 120-B RPC, Sec 18/1 r/w Sec. 27 of Drugs and Cosmetic Act on the prima facie establishment of offences on the part of Government officials of Purchase Committee and others.
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