Chandigarh, July 30:- Haryana has emerged as one of the most active states in the country in the campaign against fake medicines. Taking strict action under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Haryana has made a total of 16 arrests in cases of fake medicines. Out of these, the maximum 12 arrests were made by the FDA Gurugram team, which busted several inter-state fake medicine syndicates, seized fake medicines worth about Rs 70 lakh and recovered 323 types of allopathic medicines from illegal establishments.
This strict enforcement campaign has been launched on the directions of Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, Dr. Sumita Mishra, who had appealed for strict implementation of the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 against manufacturers, distributors and sellers of fake medicines. Following this, Haryana State Drug Controller Mr. Ripan Mehta had issued detailed instructions to all the field officers to ensure strict compliance of the Act through intelligence-based surveillance, prompt investigation, deep sampling, coordinated operations and prompt legal action against the offenders.
Since September 2025, the Enforcement Team of FDA Gurugram under the leadership of Drugs Control Officer Amandeep Chauhan has exposed an organized counterfeit drug network spread across several states through intelligence-based investigations, making Gurugram one of the main enforcement units in the state against counterfeit drugs.
One of the biggest successes of the department came in April 2026, when FDA Gurugram busted the counterfeit Mounjaro injection racket. Acting on a tip-off, the teams raided DLF Phase-IV and Sector-69 in Gurugram and seized fake Monjaro injections worth around Rs 70 lakh. In this operation, Avi Sharma and Muzammil Khan were arrested, who are in judicial custody after their bail pleas were rejected. Monjaro injections are used for diabetes and weight loss. In another important operation in July 2026, the department busted an inter-state network dealing in fake Telma-AM tablets. During the investigation, the supply chain was traced to an unlicensed wholesale establishment in Delhi. During the investigation, the accused Suvrat was arrested, on whose mark Zubair was arrested from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh. Further investigation revealed another counterfeit/adulterated product 'Tofajak 5 mg' of a renowned pharmaceutical company of India.
During a joint operation conducted by FDA Haryana and FDA Delhi, the officials seized 323 types of allopathic medicines including a large quantity of suspected counterfeit anabolic steroid preparations from an unlicensed residential establishment in Delhi. These steroids were being sold to youth in gyms. The operation continued till 2:10 am, reflecting the department's continuous efforts to disrupt the illegal pharmaceutical supply chains. Investigation in this case is on, which may expose the nexus of other people involved in illegal activities.
The department has also made significant progress in the Head On (Somatropin) injection case. Accused Hariyom has been arrested, while the Punjab and Haryana High Court had rejected the anticipatory bail plea of ??absconding accused Jatin Khanna on July 20, 2026. Further investigation is on to trace and arrest the absconding accused.
The robust surveillance system of the department has also yielded positive results. Since April 2026, the Government Analyst has declared four more drug samples as adulterated, on the basis of which criminal proceedings have been initiated under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
Acting on the report of one such Government Analyst, FDA Haryana seized about 23,000 capsules of Rabeprazole Sodium (EC) & Domperidone (SR) Capsules. Further legal action has been initiated against all those found responsible for this. Rabeprazole and Domperidone capsules are used to treat acid reflux and peptic ulcers.
Dr Sumita Mishra said that the Haryana government has adopted a policy of 'zero tolerance' against counterfeit medicines and is continuously strengthening surveillance, intelligence gathering and enforcement to protect public health. She said that every person involved in the manufacture, storage, distribution or sale of counterfeit medicines will be identified and strict action will be taken against them under the law.
The Food and Drug Administration has advised hospitals, wholesalers, retailers and the general public to purchase medicines only from licensed and authorized sources and to immediately report any suspected counterfeit medicines, tampered packaging or illegal activities. The department reiterated that ensuring availability of safe, quality and genuine medicines to patients is its top priority.