Vigilance books JKMSCL officials, ex-GMC Prpl;House searches conducted in Jammu, Udhampur

By admin On Jun 8, 2017

STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Unearthing a scandal involving officials of Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL), former Principal Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu, drugs suppliers and others, the State Vigilance Organisation has registered an FIR and conducted simultaneous house searches at five places and reportedly seized some incriminating documents.
SVO spokesperson said, on the basis of a Joint Surprise Check (JSC) conducted by State Vigilance Organisation, an FIR 22/2017 was registered against JKMSCL officials, former 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, the supplier Theon Pharmaceutical Ltd. 400 Indl. Area, Phase-I Panchkula 134113 Haryana and others.
The Joint Surprise Check was conducted by SVO 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.
Today, the house searches were conducted at residence of former Principal GMC, Jammu, at Patoli, Dr. Rameshwar Sharma, Senior Consultant Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar, Jammu, at Channi Himmat, Sayed Shabir Ahmad. FA/CAO JKMSCL, (no raid was conducted at his residence in Kashmir following the tense situation), Dr Rakesh Verma Consultant/Physician at Roop Nagar and Dr Prakash Atri at Udhampur.
During the course of JSC records were obtained and enquires 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 namely 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 enquires revealed that these medicines were supplied by M/s Theon Pharmaceutical Ltd. 400 Indl. Area, Phase-I Panchkula 134113 Haryana.
Three supply orders were placed to the aforesaid firm, which include Supply order No. JKMSCL/Adm/PO/2015-16 (10281500048) dated 24th December 2015 for the supply of 2448400 (1×10) Amoxycillin 500 mg; Supply order No. JKMSCL/Adm/PO/2015-16 (10281500062) dated 24th December 2015 for the supply of 170708 nos Inj. Ceftriaxone 500 mg; Supply order vide No. JKMSCL/drugs/state/2015-16 (102815000435) dated 14th March 2016 for the supply of 279800 nos 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 medicines mentioned above were issued to patients and most of the medicines were consumed/utilised.
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 to public health. However, the value of the medicines left unconsumed and seized by the Drug Control Organisation 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 24th January 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 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 was mandatory for the decision where as in the present case only four members including the Chairman attended the meeting of purchase committee rest all the officials who have attended the meeting were not members of the purchase committee as per Government order No. 452-HME of 2014 dated 1st August 2014.
These commissions and omissions on part of government officials and others led to the registration of FIR. And, the SVO teams headed by DySPs conducted the house searches of various accused persons at Jammu and Udhampur districts and seized the relevant records/documents.