‘Patients’ health cannot be compromised’, says Gujarat Minister after blood plasma racket bust

Ahmedabad/Gandhinagar, June 24 (IANS) Gujarat Health Minister Praful Pansheriya said on Wednesday that the state government would take strict action against all those involved in the alleged blood plasma adulteration racket busted in Ahmedabad district, describing the tampering of life-saving medical supplies as a “grave offence that endangered patients’ health”.

His remarks came a day after the Ahmedabad Rural Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG) dismantled a racket accused of replacing genuine blood plasma units with adulterated material before consignments reached a pharmaceutical company in Changodar.

Four people, including the alleged mastermind, have been arrested in connection with the case, while investigators continue to probe the wider network behind the operation.

“The government will not spare anyone who tampers with patients’ health. A transparent and impartial investigation will ensure strict action against all those responsible,” Pansheriya said.

He also congratulated the Ahmedabad SOG and the officers involved for busting the alleged fraud.

According to investigators, the operation was launched following specific intelligence inputs received by Assistant Sub-Inspector Mukeshsinh Dolatsinh and Constable Merubha Ghanshyamsinh regarding suspicious activities within the Changodar police station jurisdiction.

Police subsequently placed a suspect under surveillance and uncovered what they described as a “well-organised” scheme involving the diversion and adulteration of blood plasma consignments.

“The prime accused, Dinesh Chaudhary of Banaskantha district, had previously worked as a blood plasma collection executive with pharmaceutical companies,” police said.

Investigators allege that he used the technical knowledge gained during his employment to orchestrate the operation with Jitendra Solanki and Rafik Khalifa, who were employed as the driver and co-driver of a vehicle transporting plasma consignments.

Police added that the transport team allegedly told Chaudhary whenever consignments of blood plasma were collected from blood banks across Maharashtra.

Before the consignments were delivered to the pharmaceutical company in Changodar, the vehicle was allegedly diverted to Chaudhary’s residence.

There, investigators allege, genuine plasma units were removed and replaced with adulterated plasma bags while maintaining the quantity required for delivery.

The Health Minister said the state government had taken the matter extremely seriously and had initiated a detailed examination of the incident.

“Police and other investigating agencies were scrutinising the role of all individuals connected to the alleged racket,” he added.

Pansheriya said adulterating blood plasma, a critical life-saving medical product, was an “extremely serious and inhumane act” that could undermine public confidence in the healthcare system.

He added that “the government had adopted a zero-tolerance approach towards such offences”.

The Minister also said instructions had been issued to strengthen oversight of blood banks, plasma collection centres and related facilities across Gujarat.

“Monitoring and control mechanisms would be reinforced to prevent similar incidents in future,” he said.

Following the raid, Changodar police registered a case under Sections 316(3), 338(2), 125, 276, 328(4) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The accused were produced before a court and initially remanded to police custody.

Investigators later arrested another alleged key conspirator, Mohan Dajiba Gaikwad, of Maharashtra.

During the crackdown, police seized material valued at nearly Rs 12.06 lakh.

The seizure included 1,140 blood plasma units worth around Rs 11 lakh, a deep freezer, three chemical bottles, a sealing machine, 34 empty plasma bags and a pick-up truck allegedly used in the commission of the crime.

–IANS

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