CORONAVIRUS outbreak and subsequent lockdown has led to increased stress, strain, anxiety, tension and depression in the society. Many persons lost their jobs and are facing financial crisis. Particularly, the youths are living in anxiety, depression and stress.
Taking advantage of the situation, some anti-social elements have started sale of anti-anxiety medicines. These medicines are popular in many names like ‘Point Five Ki Goli’ or ‘Didi Ki goli’.
Food and Drugs Administration, Nagpur, found illegal stock of these tablets in a raid on two medical stores in Pension Nagar and Pratap Nagar, respectively. An FIR has been registered against the shop owners while FDA has initiated detailed probe into the serious issue.
‘Point Five Ki Goli’ or ‘Didi Ki Goli’ is the code word for Alprazolam 0.5 tablets. This medicine is very cheap as compared to other psychotropic or narcotics medicines. These is a rise in illegal trade of this drug in Nagpur and other districts of Vidarbha. Also some persons had tried to commit suicides after consuming these tablets as mentioned in some reports from police stations.
“During a raid on the premises of M/s Akash Medical Stores in Pension Nagar, FDA officials found a stock of 10 strips of 15 tablets each of Apcolam tablets (Alprazolam tablets IP 0.5 mg), Batch No TA120214, Exp Date July 2022, Manufactured by Cotec Healthacre Pvt Ltd, Kishanpur, Roorkee. The owner Rajkumar Khubnani and registered Pharmacist Rahul Khubnani told officials that they purchased the medicine from one Ashish.
The owner did not possess any purchase bill. FDA has given a show-cause notice to Rajkumar and Rahul Khubnani to submit sales and purchase record of Apcolam 0.5 tablets. As he failed to submit the record, the stock of Apcolam tablets was seized under
panchanama in form 16,” Dr P M Ballal, Assistant Commissioner, FDA Nagpur division.
FDA also found other brands of Alprazolam tablets with Akash Medical Stores. An FIR has been registered against Rajkumar Khubnani and Rahul Khubnani for illegal sales and purchase of Apcolam tablets and other brands having Alprazolam.
FDA registered a case against Akash Medical Stores for deceiving it and playing with the health of people under section 18(c), punishable under section 27(d); section 18B punishable under section 25-A and rule 65(3) and 65 (4)(I) of Drugs and Cosmetic Act 1940 and violating Indian Penal Code section 175, 177, 188, 278 and registered an offence.
‘Didi Ki Goli’ a name of Atis 0.5 tablets is famous in Trimurti Nagar area. Neeraj Lohkare, senior Drugs Inspector during a visit to M/s Satish Medical Stores on the information by Pratap Nagar Police station about sale of the tablet, found a stock of 139 strips of Atis 0.5 tablets.
Lohkare asked the sales and purchase bills of 44 strips of Atis 0.5 mg batch no Alt-1905 and 95 strips of Altis 0.5 mg tablets batch no ALT-1905 to Ajit Amrutrao Dange, brother of owner of Satish Medical Stores in Vikram Apartments Bandhugruha Nirman Society, Trimurti Nagar; he found the stock was without any purchase bill. Dange confirmed that he had purchased the stock from one ‘Roshan Bawankule’ without any bill.
Lohkare seized the stock under form no 16 and registered an FIR in Pratap Nagar police station. Offence was registered against Satish Amrutrao Dange (owner); Ajit Amrutrao Dange (a person selling Didi Ki Goli) and Jyotsna Ramteke (Registered pharmacist). FDA conducted action under the guidance of FDA Joint Commissioner, Mahesh Gadekar.
