Recently, on 08.09.2018, based on information gathered by CDSCO through intelligence, a joint surprise check was carried out in various chemist shops, departmental stores and diaries in Gazipur, East Delhi by a team of officers of CDSCO and Drug control Department, NCT Delhi for search and seizure of unauthorized sale, distribution of Oxytocin.
During the search, the team has seized plastic bottles (200 ml & 100 ml ) suspected to be oxytocin injection, from a departmental store situated at C-9, Gazipur, Gazipur Dairy Farm, Delhi -96, run by Sh. Rajinder Pal Sethi S/o K. C. Sethi. The shop does not hold any license for sale & distribution of drugs as required under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 & Rules,1945 made thereunder. The samples of seized bottles have also been collected for test/analysis as per the procedures under the said Act and Rules.
A case against the accused Sh. Rajinder Pal Sethi S/o K. C. Sethi has been registered at Station House Office (SHO), PS: Gazipur for contravening the provisions of Section 18 (c) r/w 27(b) (ii) of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and FIR has been filed at the Police Station on 8.09.2018.Further action is in process for launching prosecution against the accused under the provisions of the Act.
It may be mentioned that earlier, in 2015, CDSCO had also raided various places in Gazipur, East Delhi and seized large quantity of oxytocin bottles from some store and unlicensed premises. Two persons were arrested and prosecution was launched against those accused. The matter is under trial before the Hon’ble Court in Delhi.
CDSCO has already requested all the State/UT Drugs Controllers as well as its Zonal, Sub-zonal and Port offices to sensitize their inspectorate staff to keep strict vigil on manufacture, sale and distribution of oxytocin in the country and take all measures to ensure that the drug is not manufactured / sold illegally and its misuse is prevented.
Oxytocin is a peptide hormone used in various conditions such as induction of labor, control of postpartum bleeding or haemorrhage, etc.
It has been reported from time to time that clandestine activities of manufacture and sale of oxytocin is leading to its grave misuse, which is harmful to animals and humans.
Its misuse is mostly in the dairy industry, where livestock are injected with oxytocin to make them release milk.
From time to time, the CDSCO as well as State/UT Drug Control Authorities have conducted various raids to unearth clandestine manufacture, sale of oxytocin in the country and necessary actions have been taken against the accused as per the provisions of Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 & Rules, 1945 thereunder.