SC seeks govt reply on PIL for cancellation of Ranbaxy licence

The Supreme Court today directed the government to reply in two weeks on a plea seeking cancellation of licence issued to Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd for allegedly selling substandard drugs in India.

A bench of Justices PC Ghose and Amitava Roy, which had earlier issued notice to the Health and Family Welfare Ministry on the plea, made it clear that no further time will be granted for filing its response.

During the brief hearing, the petitioner advocate M L Sharma contended that the drug-maker was fined USD 500 million by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) for allegedly making and selling adulterated drugs.

In his public interest litigation (PIL), Sharma has alleged adulteration in drugs manufactured by the pharmaceutical major and sought shutting down of its three plants, located in located in Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and New Delhi.

"It is revealed to the petitioner about one of the company Ranbaxy has been manufacturing drug under insanitary conditions with inferior quality of material. Without testing they are supplying their drug in India as well as exporting to the ther countries including to USA. FDA, after conducting inspection in India at Paonta Sahib and Dewas unit of Ranbaxy, found their drugs as adulterated," the plea had alleged.

The apex court in 2014 had issued notices to the pharma company and the Centre on the PIL seeking a probe by the CBI for allegedly supply and manufacture of the adulterated drugs in the country.