Fake Medicines Should Attract Murder Charges, Says Karnataka Health Minister UT Khader

Mangaluru: Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Minister UT Khader has called for stringent criminal action against those involved in the manufacture and sale of counterfeit medicines, saying such offences should attract charges including attempt to murder or murder.

Speaking to reporters in Mangaluru on Tuesday, Khader said the existing penalties for counterfeit medicine offences were not strong enough. He said simply cancelling a licence or imposing a fine could allow offenders to restart their operations elsewhere under a different business name.

Khader said he would urge the Union government to amend the law to introduce stronger criminal provisions for offences involving counterfeit medicines, citing the potential threat to human lives.

The Health Department has ordered the immediate recall and withdrawal of suspected counterfeit medicine batches from hospitals and medical shops. According to Khader, access associated with the suspected network has also been blocked on the department’s online portal to prevent the billing and sale of the medicines across Karnataka.

The minister said the government is also considering setting up a high end drug testing laboratory, either independently or in partnership with an existing accredited facility. The proposed system would allow random testing of medicines collected from manufacturing units, hospitals and pharmacies.

The department is also considering surprise inspections under which Drugs Control officials would collect random medicine samples from pharmaceutical manufacturing units, hospitals and medical shops and send them for testing.

Khader said the state government was considering handing over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a comprehensive probe. He also said he had written to the Union Health Minister regarding the suspected counterfeit medicine manufacturing network and requested the deployment of Central Drugs Surveillance officers to assist in the investigation.

The case follows the seizure of counterfeit medicines worth more than ₹5 crore near Bidadi in Bengaluru South district, formerly Ramanagara. Preliminary investigations by multiple agencies have indicated that some of the medicines, including antibiotics, were allegedly manufactured outside Karnataka before being brought into the state and distributed locally and elsewhere in the country.

Khader said the discovery indicated that the suspected racket may have interstate links and was not confined to the Ramanagara area.

Describing the case as an eye opener, Khader said the Special Investigation Team would determine the full extent of the suspected network. He also said those found responsible would face action.

The SIT has arrested several suspects in connection with the case. The latest arrest was that of pharmacy owner Veeresh Kumar Jain, proprietor of Krupa Health Care, who is suspected by investigators to be a key accused. He was arrested after the SIT conducted a raid at his unit near Minerva Circle in Bengaluru.

Another suspect, R Prashant, is currently in Azerbaijan, according to the minister.

Khader also sought to address concerns raised by social media posts claiming that counterfeit medicines had been supplied to hospitals. He said measures had been taken to withdraw the suspected batches and prevent their further sale.

The investigation into the suspected counterfeit medicine network is continuing.