Ex-Andhra Pradesh Pharmacy Council (APPC) president M Venkat Reddy has been arrested and released on bail by police in Hyderabad. According to the sources, Venkat Reddy was arrested for alleged involvement in forgery and violation of Pharmacy Act during his tenure as president in 2009 to 2011.

Earlier a first information report (FIR) was also filed against  Venkat Reddy in the year 2011 with crime No 174 in Nampally police station for forgery and fraudulent documentation and involvement of tampering of official rubber stamps of Andhra Pradesh Pharmacy Council. Despite an FIR filed the police did not make any arrest till recently citing  lack of proper evidence and pressure from higher officials and politicians.

According to information received, Venkat Reddy had written a letter to Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) informing about his election as president of APPC in the year 2009, which was said to be signed by the then registrar Jagannatham. But further enquiry has found that there was no registrar by name Jagannatham and that everything was stage managed by Venkat Reddy and misled the PCI to include him as member of the all India council. All these days everything was under cover and no one had courage to bring out the hidden misdeeds in the Andhra Pradesh Pharmacy Council for many years.

But with the bifurcation of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh into Telangana and AP states, there has been a growing rift between the associations of the two states and evidences of unethical practices are being gathered to fix fraudulent past administrators of the council.  

Thanks to bifurcation and recent complaints by council members and pharmacy associations about rampant irregularities in APPC to ESL Narasihman, governor for both Telangana and AP state. If not the current irregularities and past fraudulent activities wouldn’t have come to light.

In view of growing complaints and allegations in APPC, Governor, ESL Narasihman last month directed the officials from both the states to enquire into the matter. The enquiry committee led by Putta Srinivas, director of medical education of Telangana and BL Meena, director general of APDCA from Andhra Pradesh has found irregularities and violation of pharmacy act by the past pharmacy president. Based on this, the police have arrested and released Venkat Reddy on bail.

“After all truth has prevailed. All these years, I have been cornered by the drug mafia and some of the drug regulators who are working hand in glove and minting money illegally. Now at last truth has come out. They were alleging me as fraud, but the real fraud has come to light and am sure more people involved in this case will be arrested soon,” said Vijay Annapa Reddy, past president of APPC, said while commenting on the arrest.