Vigilance and Enforcement DSP Vijay Paul and others inspecting the stocks in a medical store in Vijayawada on Thursday. | Photo Credit: CH_VIJAYA BHASKAR more-in The Vigilance and Enforcement and Drug Control Administration (DCA) on Thursday found irregularities in raids on 22 pharmaceutical stores on Eluru Road, Nakkal Road and Poranki. The officials served show cause notices on all the shops that failed to follow rules. According to Regional Vigilance and Enforcement Officer, Vijayawada, M. Ravindranath Babu officials found that 11 of the 22 shops were being run without a pharmacist and four shops had expired medicines. Mr. Babu said none of the 22 shops were maintaining ledgers. The raids were simultaneously conducted by DSP R. Vijaya Paul and Drug inspectors Babu Naik, Sambasiva Rao and Bhanu. Mr. Vijaya Paul said the proprietors of the 11 shops only displayed certificates of pharmacists but there was no pharmacist working. “The proprietors pay monthly remuneration to the pharmacists for using their certificates. As per the rules, there should be a pharmacist present in the shop always. The higher officials of DCA will take a call on the action to be taken against such violators,” he said. Criminal cases He said criminal cases would be booked against the owners of four shops where expired medicines were found. “We have exempted the cases where expired medicines are stored separately to return to the manufacturer. The four shops that were booked had the expired medicines in the saleable segment,” Mr. Paul said. The V&E officials requested the Collector to cancel the licences of the four shops that had expired medicines.

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