3 staff of Noida firm arrested for Uzbekistan cough syrup deaths
Noida, March 3: Three employees of a city-based pharmaceutical firm, whose cough syrup is alleged to have led to the death of 18 children in Uzbekistan last year, were arrested on charges of manufacturing and sale of adulterated drugs, officials said. The arrests were made after an FIR was lodged late Thursday night against five officials of Marion Biotech, including two of its directors, over a complaint by a drugs inspector of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), they said.
Police said the directors are at large and a search is underway to apprehend them.
Central and Uttar Pradesh drug authorities had checked samples of Marion Biotech products and found 22 of them to be “not of standard quality” (adulterated and spurious), according to the complainant drug inspector.
“Three people associated with Marion Biotech, which is located in Sector 67, were today arrested by the local Phase 3 police station officials. These people were engaged in preparation and sale of fake drugs which caused serious harm to public,” additional deputy commissioner of police (central Noida) Rajiv Dixit said.
“Besides the three suspects
◗ CENTRAL AND Uttar Pradesh drug authorities had checked samples of Marion Biotech products and found 22 of them to be “not of standard quality” .
who have been arrested, there are two more directors of the company for whom searches are underway and they will also be arrested soon. With their act, these people were endangering human life and human health,” Mr Dixit said.
The officer added that a comprehensive legal investigation in the case will be carried out.
Phase 3 police station incharge Vijay Kumar said those arrested have been identified as Tuhin Bhattacharya, head operation; Atul Rawat, manufacturing chemist; and Mool Singh, analytical chemist.
The absconding directors of the firm who have been booked are Jaya Jain and Sachin Jain, Kumar said.
The FIR was registered under Indian Penal Code sections 274 (adulteration of drugs), 275 (sale of adulterated drugs), 276 (sale of drug as a different drug or medical preparation) as well as under section 17 (misbranded drugs) and related violations of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.—