Patna: A fresh case of alleged black marketing of government-supplied medicines has surfaced in Bihar after drugs and medical devices intended for free distribution at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) were found at private medical stores in Patna.
Acting on a complaint, officials from the Drug Control Department conducted raids on two establishments in Rajabazar on Monday—New Janata Medical Store and wholesale distributor New Chandan Pharma. Both businesses are reportedly operated by two brothers.
During the inspection, officials recovered nine medical devices supplied to IGIMS and nine injections procured through the Bihar Medical Services and Infrastructure Corporation Limited (BMSICL) from New Janata Medical Store. A substantial quantity of medicines that had expired between six months and one year ago was also seized.
Expired Medicines and Record Discrepancies Found
At New Chandan Pharma, the inspection team reportedly discovered expired medicines, instances of sales without proper billing, and discrepancies between stock records and actual inventory.
Officials also identified two medicines whose QR codes could not be scanned. The sale of both products has been suspended, and samples have been sent to the manufacturers for verification.
Authorities said the authenticity of the medicines will be confirmed after receiving reports from the companies concerned. The Government of India has mandated QR code-based verification for several high-selling pharmaceutical brands to help consumers identify genuine products.
Investigation Into Supply Chain
Assistant Drug Controller Chunendra Mahto said the raids were carried out under the supervision of Drug Inspectors Amal Kumar and Yashwant Jha. Government medicines and medical devices were seized from both establishments, and action has been initiated against the operators.
According to officials, complaints had alleged that a network of middlemen had been involved in the illegal trade of government medicines for nearly two years. Investigators are now examining how medicines and medical devices meant for hospital use reached private retail outlets.
Shopkeeper Blames Returned Medicines
Aftab, the operator of New Janata Medical Store, told officials that his shop supplies medicines to patients covered under the Ayushman Bharat scheme visiting IGIMS.
He claimed that relatives of patients often returned unused medicines after treatment. However, the Drug Control Department is examining why such medicines were accepted and retained instead of being destroyed as per protocol or returned to the hospital.
Officials are also investigating whether markings such as “Not for Sale” or “IGIMS Supply” were removed from government medicines before they were sold in the open market. There is further suspicion that expiry dates may have been altered in some cases.
IGIMS to Cooperate with Inquiry
Dr. Vibhuti Prasanna Sinha, Deputy Director of IGIMS, said he was unaware of any medicines from the institute being sold through private shops.
He stated that the institute would fully cooperate with the Drug Control Administration’s investigation and would also conduct its own internal review if required.
Assistant Drug Controller Chunendra Mahto said officials would inspect medicine storage facilities, distribution records, and inventory management systems at IGIMS. Relevant personnel, including the store in-charge, are expected to be questioned as part of the inquiry.
Counterfeit Drug Angle Under Examination
The inability to scan QR codes on two branded medicines has raised concerns about possible counterfeit products.
Officials suspect that low-cost generic medicines may have been repackaged and sold as premium branded products. Samples have been sent for testing, and further action will depend on the manufacturers’ findings.
Medicines and Medical Devices Seized
Items recovered during the raids included albumin injections, anti-rabies vaccines, buprenorphine injections, codeine-based medicines, prazosin, cefixime, amoxicillin-clavulanate, ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, meropenem, erythropoietin injections, catheters, and other surgical equipment.
Generics Sold as Costlier Brands
Investigations by the Department of Pharmaceuticals have previously highlighted cases where inexpensive generic medicines were marketed in packaging resembling well-known brands.
Officials said a generic medicine costing between Rs 80 and Rs 120 can sometimes be sold for Rs 300 to Rs 350 when presented as a premium brand, increasing costs for patients while generating illegal profits for traders.
The Drug Control Department’s investigation is ongoing and is expected to determine whether the case involves theft of government supplies, counterfeit medicines, or organised diversion of public healthcare resources into the private market.
