Drug unit that made fake Remdesivir during Covid pandemic sealed

Dehradun: Uttarakhand STF on Saturday sealed a factory in Kotdwar that was allegedly used to manufacture fake drugs, including Remdesivir injections -- an antiviral medication -- during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021.STF SSP Ajai Singh said the factory, M/s Nector Herbs & Drugs, located in Kotdwar’s industrial estate, was raided by a joint team of police and other departments based on the interrogation of arrested persons Jatin Saini (37), a resident of UP’s Sambhal and Gaurav Tyagi (27), a resident of Haridwar.“During the investigation, it was found that the unit was operational despite its drug manufacturing licence being revoked in 2024 after a Telangana Police team recovered a large quantity of counterfeit medicines and fake packaging material of major pharmaceutical companies from the premises. They had raided the unit after one of the accused arrested by STF was found supplying fake medicines there,” Singh said.He added that during Saturday’s raid, police recovered raw material allegedly used for manufacturing counterfeit medicines, along with machinery from the factory.“The factory was used to manufacture fake Remdesivir injections in 2021, when the Covid-19 pandemic was at its peak. The owner of the factory was identified as Vishad Kumar, a resident of Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh. After completion of the raid, the joint team sealed the unit for further legal proceedings,” Singh said. Vishad is currently on the run.