Karnataka drugs control department has suspended three deputy drugs controllers from service. The suspension orders were passed by the acting drugs controller H Jayaram.

As per an official order, the deputy drugs controllers had violated the rules by failing to inform the Lok Ayukta on the misappropriation of funds in the department. The other reason was that under no circumstances, the deputy drugs controllers should have paid the Drugs Controller a portion of the bribe collected by them from the retail sector.

There had been regular system of collecting bribes from the drugs inspectors and assistant drugs controllers every month by the drug controller himself. The very act of paying is an offence, noted sources from the State government.

The three deputy drugs controllers suspended are MN Ramamurthy, Kranti Kumar Bhaskar and H Srinivas. Dr. H Sudarshan confirmed the suspension of these officers. From today the evidence hearing is scheduled which could lead to more clues to the irregularities and misappropriation found there during the raid on March 26, 2003,he added.

According to V Hari Krishnan, president, Bangalore District Druggists and Chemists Association the drugs department had announced an intense inspection drive of around 180 chemists in Bangalore charge sheet 150 cases. "This is going to cause considerable pressure on the retail sector as the inspectors harass for no reason," he added.

In the past the trade sector had been under attack for no serious issues, which led the Bangalore district druggists and chemists association to file a case against the drugs department to clearly define the define the words 'Premises' and 'Adequacy of premises' in the definition clause of Section 2 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. The petitioners approached the court after the Karnataka Drugs Control Department's licensing authority cancelled a licence of one retail drug outlet and refused to renew the licence of another on the grounds that the outlets were operating on premises which were smaller than the area stipulated by the law. The Karnataka High Court had directed the drugs control authorities to look into the matter within nine months of the order, which was passed June 10, 2002 but no action was taken, informed Hari Krishnan.