Srinagar, April 28
The ongoing investigation into the J&K drug scam has revealed that the spurious antibiotic drug, Maximizin-625, was supplied to two reputed hospitals of the state, which are under the control of Medical Education Ministry headed by senior Congress leader Taj Mohiuddin.

Taj, who was earlier the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Minister, has directly blamed former Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma for “circulation of spurious drugs in the state”, which, however, has been termed as a “political vendetta” by Sham.

According to the Drug and Food Organisation, after it was discovered that Maximizin-625 was spurious, a “drug alert” was sounded in the state on April 2, 2013, for stopping further consumption of the same by patients.

During subsequent raids, over 2,000 Maximizin-625 tablets were seized from LD Maternity Hospital in Srinagar. It was also found that the same drug had been supplied to the SMGS Hospital in Jammu.

“As it surfaced that Lalla Ded (LD) Hospital, Srinagar, had also procured the said spurious drug, the complainant (drug inspector) and his team inspected the hospital and 2,119 tablets (of Maximizin-625) were seized,” the Drug and Food Control Organisation has revealed in its chargesheet.

On April 24, a designated TADA court in Srinagar issued non-bailable warrants against 15 accused in the spurious drug scam after taking cognisance of the complaint-cum-chargesheet of the Drug and Food Organisation.

Official documents reveal that the owners of M/S Lifeline Pharmaco Surgicals (one of the accused firms in the spurious drugs scam) have admitted that the said “spurious/substandard drug” (Maximizin-625) was also supplied by them to Shri Maharja Gulab Singh State (SMGS) Hospital, Jammu, and Gandhi Nagar Hospital, Jammu. 

Over 2,000 Maximizin-625 tablets were seized from LD Maternity Hospital in Srinagar. The same drug was also reportedly supplied to the SMGS Hospital, Jammu