SC notices to Ranbaxy, govt over selling ‘adulterated’ drugs

The Supreme Court on Friday issued notices to the union government and Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd on a public interest plea seeking the cancellation of the company's licence as well as a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation for allegedly supplying adulterated drugs in India.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam agreed to examine the allegations, but refused to pass any interim order for restraining the company from manufacturing drugs.

''The matter requires consideration and we will examine it but we cannot grant any interim stay,'' the bench said.

The public interest litigation (PIL) was filed by advocate M L Sharma, who sought action against the company for allegedly supplying sub-standard and adulterated drugs.

Sharma had earlier also filed a similar petition which was dismissed by the apex court. The court, however, had granted liberty to Sharma to file fresh petition with additional documents in support of his allegations.

In his PIL, Sharma pointed out that ''Ranbaxy was fined $500 million by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for making and selling adulterated drugs''.

The PIL sought sealing of all its manufacturing units in India, including those in Paonta Sahib in Himachal Pradesh and Dewas in Madhya Pradesh which are the latest to come under FDA strictures.

He alleged that despite Ranbaxy pleading guilty to supplying adulterated drugs in the US and it being fined such a huge amount, the union government has not taken any action to prohibit or ban the drugs made by the company.

He also sought action against Indian drug regulator Central Drug Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO), for permitting Ranbaxy to sell drugs in India, especially in the wake of the results of the USFDA probe against the company.

A Ranbaxy spokesperson firmly rebutted the allegations. ''Ranbaxy has not yet received any notice to file reply from the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India. If the company receives a notice, it will respond appropriately to the observations. Ranbaxy is compliant with all the requirements under Indian law and maintains that all the drugs sold by the company in the Indian market are safe and effective,'' the spokesperson said.