Drug regulatory bodies and law enforcement agencies have intensified coordinated enforcement actions against the illegal manufacture and distribution of misbranded and spurious medicines, leading to the seizure of spurious rabies vaccines and the arrest of four individuals by the Delhi Police.
The joint operation was executed by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police alongside Drugs Inspectors from the Drugs Control Department, Government of NCT of Delhi, following targeted surveillance of illicit supply chains. On April 22, 2026, authorities raided an unlicensed premises situated at Indra Vikas, Mukherjee Nagar, Delhi, seizing unauthorized stocks of Rabies Vaccine (Human) labeled under the brand name Abhayrab®(Batch No. KE25012). Legal samples taken by Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) officials were forwarded to the Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL), Kasauli, for statutory testing and comparative evaluation.
Laboratory analysis by CDL Kasauli confirmed that the seized product was Misbranded and Not of Standard Quality (NSQ), specifically failing the mandatory potency test. Detailed forensic and label reviews revealed extensive discrepancies when compared against the authentic manufacturer’s retained control samples.
The seized product failed critical efficacy requirements under Indian Pharmacopoeia standards. CDL identified typographical errors (such as “L. Posteur” instead of “L. Pasteur”), mismatched artwork numbers, altered font styles, and divergent company logo styling. The spurious vials featured blue caps with pasted holograms, contrasting with the authentic green caps without holograms utilized by the genuine manufacturer. The printed QR code failed GS1 verification, and incorrect diluent manufacturing license numbers were recorded on the carton.
Following confirmation that the seized batch was neither manufactured nor released by the genuine marketing authorization holder, Indian Immunologicals Ltd. (Human Biologicals Institute), the Drugs Controller General (India) issued an all-India regulatory alert on August 27, 2026. All State Drugs Controllers have been directed to maintain strict inspectorate vigilance across distribution channels and invoke penal provisions under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
Authorities confirmed that genuine supplies of Abhayrab undergo statutory batch-release certification by CDL Kasauli before entering authorized hospital, institutional, and retail pharmacy networks. Furthermore, no portion of the compromised batch was exported. Competent authorities are pursuing further legal proceedings and supply-chain tracing.
Written by: Pragna Biswas
Graphics by: Pramit Hazra
