FDA seizes over 400 MTP kits in Maharashtra’s Hingoli

With the Sangli incident still fresh in the memory where homeopath BS Khidrapure carried out medical termination of pregnancies using scheduled drugs, officials from the Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a raid in Hingoli have recovered 407 MTP kits.

"I received information about an individual called Mahesh Jaitliya who owned a medical shop in Sengaon area of Hingoli following which officers of the vigilance department conducted raids," said Maharashtra FDA commissioner Dr Harshadeep Kamble.

While the medical shop did not have anything suspicious, there was another storehouse and a home in the middle of the field where stocks of medicines were kept hidden.

"The carton boxes of the MTP kits was for 500 kits but only 407 were recovered so far. The accused has been booked under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act as well as the PCNDT Act," Dr Kamble added.

The medicines were manufactured in Haridwar but were procurred by the accused from a distributor in Indore.

The FDA officials are also checking nearby hospitals for any violation of the PCPNDT Act.

Total seizure

1.83 lakh Alprazolam tablets  (anxiety medicine)

407 MTP kits

Sildenafil Tablets worth Rs 23,8000 (sold as Viagra)

Codeine Syrup worth Rs 15,000

Among other allopathic drugs

Total seizure amount of about Rs. 9.5 lakh.