Maharashtra: FDA conducts raids at three different locations in Vasai, seize Ayurvedic drugs worth Rs 1.41 crore

Vasai (Maharashtra) [India], July 12 (ANI): Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Maharashtra conducted raids at three different locations at Vasai on Thursday and found that a Pharma Products Pvt Limited company was manufacturing drugs without obtaining licence for manufacturing of drugs at this place.

The value of the seized Ayurvedic drugs, raw materials, packing materials, labels, and pouches was around Rs 1.41 crore. Further investigation is underway.

In a press release, the Food and Drugs Administration Maharashtra State, Mumbai said, “Food and Drugs Administration conducts raid at three different locations at Vasal Dist. Palghar on July 10 and found that M/s Gaharwar Pharma Products Pvt. Ltd. who has obtained licence to manufacture ayurvedic drugs at Haryana, was in fact manufacturing drugs at Vasai without obtaining a licence for manufacturing of drugs at this place, quoting licence details of Haryana.”

FDA said that it was also understood that the loan licence obtained at Haryana was surrendered to the State Licensing Authority, Directorate of Ayush on May 14, 2024, still the drugs were still being manufactured thereafter at Vasai under the said licence.

FDA further said, “The drugs to be manufactured at Haryana were shown to be sold to Onkar Pharma at Jalandhar, Punjab State, but M/s Onkar Pharma was operating in Vasai and was distributing drugs from this place under bills of Jalandhar address. Further few drugs were found with the manufacturing address of Gaharwar Pharma Pvt. Ltd. Navghar Vasai, Dist. Palghar, which was shown to be manufactured in January 2024, the licence at this place granted to Rushabh Medicines was cancelled in the year 2022.”

FDA said that the value of seized ayurvedic drugs, raw materials, machinaries, packing materials, labels, pouches were around Rs. 1.41 crore.

Recently in March 2024 and 2021, a similar raid was conducted at the firm’s sister concern M/s Rushabh Medicine, Navghar Vasai (E) and after finding an allopathy drug in the ayurvedic medicines in the Government Analyst Report, prosecution was filed in the court of law and their licence was cancelled thereafter, the press release stated.

FDA said that further investigation is under progress and suitable legal action would be taken against the said manufacturer after the completion of the investigation.

The ayurvedic drugs, in this case, were seized by Drugs Inspector Palghar Yogendra Pol, Nitin Aher and Drugs Inspector Thane Kailash Khapekar, who were supported by Assistant Commissioner Prakash Mhanwar, Mukund Donglikar, Deepka Malpure, Rohit Rathod from Thane, Mahesh Gadekar, Umesh Gharote from Palghar and Drugs Inspector from Thane, Palghar and Greater Mumbai Kishor Rajne, Shubhangi Bhujbal, Nitin Aher, Rakesh Edlawar, Yogendra Pol, Pravin Raut, Poonam Salgaonkar, Rajshree Shinde, Sunil Gawali, Premdas Sakhre and Kailash Khapekar, FDA said.

The raid was supported by the Assistant Commissioner from IB Mumbai VR Ravi and the Drugs Inspector from IB Mumbai Shri Shashikant Yadav.

FDA said that the raid was conducted as per the instructions received from FDA Commissioner Abhimanyu Kale, Dr Rahul Khade Joint Commissioner of FDA Vigilance, Narendra Supe Joint Commissioner of FDA Thane and Vijay Jadhav Joint Commissioner FDA Greater Mumbai.