Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh said the government has "zero tolerance" for spurious medicines and that strict action under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act will be taken against all parties involved, including suppliers outside the capital.
According to a statement from the minister’s office, officials searched three premises within Bhagirath Palace and uncovered the counterfeit stock, seizing the bulk of the inventory while retaining 120 vials as legal samples for laboratory testing.
The manufacturer, Human Biologicals Institute of Telangana, confirmed that the batch was not produced by the company and was indeed counterfeit, underscoring the seriousness of the breach.
Investigators traced the origin of the fake vaccine to a purchase made in Kanpur, prompting the Delhi authorities to share the intelligence with the Food Safety & Drug Administration of Uttar Pradesh, which subsequently raided two locations in that state.
The seizure highlights ongoing concerns about the circulation of substandard medical products in India and reinforces the government's commitment to safeguarding public health, especially for diseases like rabies that can be fatal if not properly vaccinated.