Rakesh Panigrahi
GOLDEN Chemist, a medical store located at Badlapur in Thane district is selling Scheduled H1 category drugs and Steroids in absence of a registered pharmacist which is illegal. The staff at the shop is also issuing receipts (bills) with forged signature of pharmacist. The owner of the establishment is doing such malpractices and is circumventing the rules, as he has blessings and protection from Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Thane, Assistant Commissioner Pravin Badrinarayan Mundada.
On September 24, 2021, Dr Ved Tiwari, a social worker by profession, complained to the Commissioner FDA, Joint Commissioner (Vigilance) FDA, Assistant Commissioner (Intelligence) FDA against Golden Chemist for its illegal activities. Copy of the complaint is available with ABI.
According to the complaint, Golden Chemist is located at Thakkar Paradise, Mauli Chowk, Badlapur (East) and is owned by Babulal Indaram Chowdhary. Babulal Chowdhary is cheating the Government Authorities of by stating that pharmacist Ganesh Kolekar is working for them. Ganesh Kolekar has also given an undertaking to FDA that he is full time engaged with Golden Chemist as pharmacist. However, he is employed as a full-time employee with Alkem Laboratories Ltd as scientist since February 2021. Before that he was working as research analyst at Glenmark Pharmaceuticals from June 2016 to February 2021. Ganesh Kolekar never appears at the shop. In absence of Ganesh Kolekar, Babulal Chowdhary has appointed some non-pharmacists at the shop. These non-pharmacists are forging signature of Ganesh Kolekar on all sales bills and invoices.
On September 19, 2021 Dr Ved Tiwari purchased Scheduled H1 drugs including Steroids on the name of FDA officers from Golden Chemist without any valid prescription. The shop employee gave the bill by forging the signature of Ganesh Kolekar.
Dr Ved Tiwari alleged that shop owner Babulal Chowdhary is doing such blatantly illegal acts, as he is on ‘good-terms’ with FDA assistant commissioner Pravin Mundada. Pravin Mundada has a notorious reputation at the FDA and has been suspended two times in the past and was also demoted once and also has been arrested by ACB (Anti-Corruption Bureau in the past. As per sources, he is once again on the radar of ACB. Mundada was recently relieved of his Thane zone charge. Pravin Mundada given approval to this pharmacist in March 2021 with the knowledge that he is M. Pharma and full time working at Alkem.
Dr Ved Tiwari has demanded action against Golden Chemist as well as Pravin Mundada after investigation, if they are found guilty.
“I have complained against Golden Chemist and Pravin Mundada and am waiting for action against them,” said Dr Ved Tiwari.