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Pharma Legal, Enforcement & Alert Intelligence

Source-linked judgments, compliance and enforcement developments, and regulatory alerts.

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Court Judgments & Legal Opinions · 148 visible records

73 indexed case links15 Supreme Court links55 High Court links3 Tribunal / other links5 original court PDFs75 full database records
Informational use only. Verify the original court or authority document before relying on any record.

2026–1974 case-link index · 73 matching

Source status: 5 original court PDFs · 68 repository copies awaiting official-file verification.
2025-01-21 · High Court of Bombay, Nagpur Bench · 2025:BHC-NAG:612; Criminal Application No. 397 of 2023
Repository copy · final court file pending Other pharma-law issue

Lala Mohd. Hanif Mohd. Umar & Others v. State of Maharashtra through Drug Inspector

Decision focus: A pharmaceutical-law dispute concerning regulatory compliance and legal responsibility.

Document host: indiankanoon.org · Source audit: Final court file not yet verified · 2026-09-01
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2024-12-17 · Madurai Bench of Madras High Court · Crl.O.P.(MD) No. 10379 of 2019
Repository copy · final court file pending Testing / NSQ / spurious

M/s Hindustan Syringes and Medical Devices Ltd. & Others v. Drugs Inspector

Decision focus: Drug-quality testing, NSQ classification, retesting rights, shelf life or prosecution timing.

Document host: indiankanoon.org · Source audit: Final court file not yet verified · 2026-09-01
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2024-11-22 · High Court of Jharkhand at Ranchi · Cr.M.P. No. 3278 of 2017
Repository copy · final court file pending Testing / NSQ / spurious

Virendra Sharma v. State of Jharkhand

Decision focus: Drug-quality testing, NSQ classification, retesting rights, shelf life or prosecution timing.

Document host: indiankanoon.org · Source audit: Final court file not yet verified · 2026-09-01
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2024-10-24 · High Court of Jharkhand at Ranchi · Cr.M.P. No. 2239 of 2018
Repository copy · final court file pending Testing / NSQ / spurious

Subhash Nair v. State of Jharkhand

Decision focus: Drug-quality testing, NSQ classification, retesting rights, shelf life or prosecution timing.

Document host: indiankanoon.org · Source audit: Final court file not yet verified · 2026-09-01
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2024-09-12 · Gauhati High Court · 2024:GAU-AS; WP(C) No. 6559 of 2021
Repository copy · final court file pending Other pharma-law issue

Assam Pharmacy Council & Another v. State of Assam & Others

Decision focus: Whether Drugs and Cosmetics Act inspectors may exercise powers assigned under the Pharmacy Act.

Document host: indiankanoon.org · Source audit: Final court file not yet verified · 2026-09-01
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2024-09-06 · High Court of Judicature at Patna · Criminal Miscellaneous No. 18517 of 2021
Repository copy · final court file pending Prosecution procedure

Mithilesh Yadav v. State of Bihar

Decision focus: Proper investigation and prosecution procedure for offences under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

Document host: indiankanoon.org · Source audit: Final court file not yet verified · 2026-09-01
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2024-03-22 · High Court of Madhya Pradesh at Indore · Misc. Criminal Case No. 47281 of 2022
Repository copy · final court file pending Testing / NSQ / spurious

M/s Micro Labs Ltd. Unit III v. Union of India

Decision focus: Drug-quality testing, NSQ classification, retesting rights, shelf life or prosecution timing.

Document host: indiankanoon.org · Source audit: Final court file not yet verified · 2026-09-01
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2024-03-08 · National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission · First Appeal No. 738 of 2020
Repository copy · final court file pending Other pharma-law issue

National Insurance Company Ltd. v. M/s S.S. Pharma

Decision focus: Insurance liability and evidentiary issues involving pharmaceutical stock or consignments.

Document host: indiankanoon.org · Source audit: Final court file not yet verified · 2026-09-01
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2024-03-05 · High Court of Jharkhand · Complaint Case No. C/III-188/2008
Repository copy · final court file pending Testing / NSQ / spurious

M/s Aventis Pharma Limited v. State of Jharkhand

Decision focus: Drug-quality testing, NSQ classification, retesting rights, shelf life or prosecution timing.

Document host: indiankanoon.org · Source audit: Final court file not yet verified · 2026-09-01
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2024-02-26 · High Court of Himachal Pradesh · Cr.MMO No. 875 of 2023
Repository copy · final court file pending Other pharma-law issue

Narotam Chand v. State of Himachal Pradesh

Decision focus: A pharmaceutical-law dispute concerning regulatory compliance and legal responsibility.

Document host: indiankanoon.org · Source audit: Final court file not yet verified · 2026-09-01
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2024-02-16 · High Court of Judicature at Allahabad · 2024:AHC:27275
Repository copy · final court file pending Other pharma-law issue

Yashpaul Chail & Others v. State of Uttar Pradesh through Inspector of Drugs

Decision focus: A pharmaceutical-law dispute concerning regulatory compliance and legal responsibility.

Document host: indiankanoon.org · Source audit: Final court file not yet verified · 2026-09-01
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2024-02-06 · High Court of Delhi · CS(COMM) 106/2024
Original court PDF Policy / prohibition / IP

AstraZeneca AB & Another v. Azista Industries Pvt. Ltd. & Others

Decision focus: Patent, import permission and online sale issues concerning a pharmaceutical product.

Document host: delhihighcourt.nic.in · Source audit: Final court file verified · 2026-09-01
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2024-01-08 · High Court of Himachal Pradesh · Decision dated 8 January 2024
Repository copy · final court file pending Other pharma-law issue

M/s Hetero Labs Limited & Others v. Union of India through Drug Inspector

Decision focus: Drug-quality testing, NSQ classification, retesting rights, shelf life or prosecution timing.

Document host: indiankanoon.org · Source audit: Final court file not yet verified · 2026-09-01
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2023-08-23 · High Court of Orissa · Anticipatory bail decision dated 23 August 2023
Repository copy · final court file pending Testing / NSQ / spurious

Sudeep Kumar Garnaik & Another v. State of Odisha

Decision focus: Criminal responsibility arising from an allegedly NSQ or spurious pharmaceutical product.

Document host: indiankanoon.org · Source audit: Final court file not yet verified · 2026-09-01
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2023-07-14 · High Court of Madras · Crl.O.P. No. 20151 of 2022
Repository copy · final court file pending Company and officer liability

Sanjeev Wasan v. Union of India

Decision focus: Personal liability of directors, partners or company officers under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

Document host: indiankanoon.org · Source audit: Final court file not yet verified · 2026-09-01
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High Courts of India

2026-07-13 · High Court of Punjab and Haryana · CRM-M-52148-2021, decision dated 13 July 2026
Secondary VerifiedQuality

Zee Laboratory v. Union of India

Affected law: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 — Sections 16, 17B, 18(a)(i), 27(c) and 27(d); Code of Criminal Procedure — Section 468

Summary: The Punjab and Haryana High Court classified an NSQ Cefpodoxime dissolution failure and examined whether the complaint filed more than three years later was time-barred.

Outcome / action: The Court quashed the delayed complaint, summoning order and consequential proceedings, holding that an NSQ dissolution failure without the required spurious or serious-harm allegations attracted Section 27(d) and the corresponding limitation period.

Practical impact: The analyst finding and complaint must support the exact Section 27 category; limitation should be calculated from the legally sustainable offence rather than a more serious unsupported charge.

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2026-05-19 · Gauhati High Court, Aizawl Bench · Gauhati High Court, Aizawl Bench; Criminal Petition No. 3 of 2025
Secondary VerifiedCompany

Sanjeev Kumar Bhatia & Others v. Union of India

Affected law: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 — Sections 23, 27(d) and 34; Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 — Section 528

Summary: The Gauhati High Court reviewed an NSQ Primaquine prosecution, a cognizance order citing a non-existent provision and differing responsibility of directors and technical personnel.

Outcome / action: The complaint was quashed against six directors for want of specific Section 34 allegations; the defective cognizance order was set aside in full and the complaint against technical personnel and the company was remitted for fresh judicial consideration.

Practical impact: Cognizance must identify an existing offence and show application of mind; complaints must distinguish general directors from specifically responsible manufacturing and testing personnel.

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2026-05-07 · High Court of Himachal Pradesh · Complaint Case under Drugs and Cosmetics Act No. 3 of 2022; decision dated 7 May 2026
Secondary VerifiedCompany

Pharmaceutical Firm Partners v. Union of India

Affected law: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 — Sections 16, 18, 18B, 22, 27(d) and 28A

Summary: The Himachal Pradesh High Court examined personal responsibility of firm partners in a prosecution involving alleged NSQ manufacture, stocking and statutory-document contraventions.

Outcome / action: The petition was allowed and the complaint, cognizance order and consequential proceedings were quashed against the petitioners, who were discharged from the NSQ and licensing prosecution.

Practical impact: Prosecution material should connect each partner with the relevant conduct and responsibility rather than relying on partnership status alone.

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2026-05-06 · High Court of Himachal Pradesh · 2026:HHC:15076
Secondary VerifiedCompany

M/s Unison Pharmaceuticals & Others v. Union of India

Affected law: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 — Sections 16, 18(a), 27(d) and 34; Code of Criminal Procedure — Section 204

Summary: The Himachal Pradesh High Court reviewed an NSQ prosecution concerning Rabeprazole and Domperidone sustained-release capsules and responsibility of firm partners.

Outcome / action: The petition was allowed and the complaint and consequential proceedings were quashed against the petitioners because the record did not connect the partners with day-to-day responsibility and the process order lacked adequate application of mind.

Practical impact: Complaints and summoning orders should identify the factual basis for each partner’s responsibility and record sufficient reasons for issuing process.

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2026-04-23 · Allahabad High Court, Lucknow Bench · Application U/S 482 No. 3008 of 2026, decision dated 23 April 2026
Secondary VerifiedCompany

Anshul Agarwal & Others v. State of Uttar Pradesh

Affected law: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 — Sections 17, 18, 25, 27, 32A and 34

Summary: The Allahabad High Court considered proceedings concerning a veterinary bolus reported to contain no ivermectin and to carry inconsistent labelling.

Outcome / action: The application was dismissed; company-officer responsibility, joinder of the company and disputed facts concerning a spurious and misbranded veterinary drug were left for the trial court.

Practical impact: At the initial stage, disputed director responsibility and company joinder may not justify quashing; testing and labelling records should support the role attributed to every accused.

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2026-04-03 · Allahabad High Court, Lucknow Bench · 2026:AHC-LKO:23341; Application U/S 482 No. 2015 of 2026
Secondary VerifiedTesting

Smt. Meena Pandey & Others v. State of Uttar Pradesh

Affected law: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 — Sections 18, 23 and 27; Code of Criminal Procedure — Section 482

Summary: The Allahabad High Court reviewed a retail-drug prosecution involving an analyst finding that the sample contained neither declared active ingredient.

Outcome / action: The quashing application was rejected because the analyst report alleged a spurious product and objections to sampling and evidentiary responsibility required adjudication at trial.

Practical impact: Sampling disputes and factual defences ordinarily require trial where the complaint and analyst report disclose a prima facie spurious-drug case.

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2026-03-30 · High Court of Kerala at Ernakulam · 2026:KER:27268; Crl.R.P. No. 2801 of 2005
Secondary VerifiedTesting

Varghese Paul v. Regional Drug Inspector

Affected law: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 — Sections 18(a)(i), 25(4) and 27(d)

Summary: The Kerala High Court reviewed conviction relating to Magnesium Sulphate paste and the evidentiary value of CDL testing conducted after expiry.

Outcome / action: The revision was allowed, the concurrent conviction was set aside and the accused was acquitted because official delay caused Central Drugs Laboratory testing only after shelf-life expiry, defeating the Section 25(4) safeguard.

Practical impact: Government analysis, complaint filing and court-directed CDL testing must occur while the sample remains capable of meaningful analysis.

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2026-03-24 · High Court of Bombay · 2026:BHC-AS:14013; Writ Petition No. 2777 of 2024
Secondary VerifiedTesting

C. B. Healthcare & Others v. Union of India through Drug Inspector

Affected law: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 — Sections 25, 27(d) and 34

Summary: The Bombay High Court considered delayed sampling and prosecution, shelf-life expiry, retesting rights and allegations against company directors.

Outcome / action: The writ petition was allowed and the process order and criminal complaint were quashed because prosecution delay defeated the Section 25 retesting safeguard and continuation would abuse the process of court.

Practical impact: Complete analysis, retesting and prosecution steps within shelf life, and plead each officer’s actual responsibility rather than statutory wording alone.

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2026-03-17 · High Court of Kerala at Ernakulam · 2026:KER:23971; Crl.M.C. No. 4999 of 2019
Secondary VerifiedTesting

Chemwel Pharma Ltd. v. State of Kerala

Affected law: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 — Sections 17(b) and 27(d); Drugs Rules, 1945 — Rule 84E and Schedule P

Summary: The Kerala High Court considered marketer liability for an Amoxycillin dry-syrup label showing a shelf life longer than Schedule P permitted.

Outcome / action: The petition was allowed and proceedings were quashed against the marketer and its managing director because the alleged 2013 misbranding preceded Rule 84E and the complaint lacked clear mens rea allegations against them.

Practical impact: For conduct before Rule 84E, marketer liability cannot be assumed from marketing status alone; allegations should identify the applicable provision and culpable conduct.

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2026-02-20 · High Court for the State of Telangana · Criminal Petition No. 2369 of 2024
Secondary VerifiedLicensing

M/s Landmark Hospitals v. State of Telangana

Affected law: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 — Sections 18(c) and 27(b)(ii)

Summary: The Telangana High Court reviewed prosecution over medicines temporarily stocked in a hospital cellar outside the specifically licensed pharmacy area.

Outcome / action: The petition was allowed and proceedings were quashed because the hospital held a valid licence, no sale from the cellar was shown and temporary stocking alone did not establish the alleged unlicensed-sale offence.

Practical impact: Hospitals should align all storage areas with licence particulars and inventory controls; enforcement should distinguish storage for internal use from evidence of an unlicensed sale.

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Supreme Court of India

2026-02-20 · Supreme Court of India · 2026 INSC 171
Official source verifiedOther

M/s SBS Biotech & Others v. State of Himachal Pradesh

Affected law: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 — Sections 18(a)(vi), 18-B, 27(d), 28-A, 32(2), 36-A and 36-AB; Drugs Rules, 1945 — Rule 74 and Schedules M and U

Summary: The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal concerning prosecution for alleged failure to maintain and furnish manufacturing records and upheld committal of the case to the Court of Sessions.

Outcome / action: Appeal dismissed; the Supreme Court found no error in the High Court decision and upheld committal of the case to the Court of Sessions.

Practical impact: Manufacturers should maintain and produce the records required by the Act, Rule 74 and Schedules M and U. The judgment also discusses which court may try Chapter IV offences.

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High Courts of India

2026-02-11 · High Court of Chhattisgarh at Bilaspur · 2026:CGHC:7516; ACQA No. 399 of 2010
Secondary VerifiedTesting

State of Chhattisgarh v. M/s Paras Pharmaceutical Product & Others

Affected law: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 — Sections 16, 18, 23, 25 and 27

Summary: The Chhattisgarh High Court reviewed an NSQ Paraquin-tablet prosecution involving a retailer, wholesalers, manufacturer and partners.

Outcome / action: The State’s acquittal appeal was dismissed because the prosecution failed to prove the complete distribution chain with primary records and expiry deprived the manufacturer of meaningful Central Drugs Laboratory reanalysis.

Practical impact: Prosecutors should prove the supply chain with original invoices and preserve effective Section 25 retesting before shelf-life expiry.

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2025-12-19 · High Court of Madhya Pradesh at Jabalpur · 2025:MPHC-JBP:70449; W.P. Nos. 48651 and 48652 of 2025
Secondary VerifiedTesting

M/s Omega Pharma v. State of Madhya Pradesh & Others

Affected law: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940; government pharmaceutical tender quality and blacklisting clauses

Summary: The Madhya Pradesh High Court considered delayed testing, broken Diclofenac-Paracetamol tablets, retesting procedure and blacklisting under a public procurement contract.

Outcome / action: The petitions challenging NSQ findings, recovery and two-year product blacklisting were dismissed with liberty to use the contractual appeal and dispute-resolution remedies.

Practical impact: Suppliers should exhaust tender appeals promptly and document custody, testing timelines and contractual second-sample rights when contesting NSQ sanctions.

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2025-12-15 · High Court of Bombay, Nagpur Bench · Writ Petition No. 749 of 2025, order dated 15 December 2025
Secondary VerifiedTesting

M/s Agron Remedies Pvt. Ltd. & Others v. State of Maharashtra

Affected law: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 — Sections 23 and 25

Summary: The Bombay High Court reviewed the timing of the analyst report, retesting request, sanction and complaint in relation to expiry of Atorvastatin tablets.

Outcome / action: The petition was allowed and the complaint, proceedings and process order were quashed because the complaint followed shelf-life expiry, the statutory retesting right was lost and sanction preceded consideration of the manufacturer’s response.

Practical impact: Enforcement timelines should allow meaningful CDL retesting, and sanctioning authorities should consider the manufacturer’s response before deciding prosecution.

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2025-11-25 · High Court of Himachal Pradesh at Shimla · 2025:HHC:39815; Cr.MMO No. 925 of 2025
Secondary VerifiedTesting

M/s Jackson Laboratory Pvt. Ltd. & Another v. State of Himachal Pradesh

Affected law: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 — Sections 17B, 18, 23, 25, 27, 32 and 36AC

Summary: The Himachal Pradesh High Court considered alleged fake-labelled spurious capsules, loss of retesting opportunity, delayed analysis and the Magistrate-to-Sessions committal procedure.

Outcome / action: The quashing petition was dismissed; the complaint could continue on alleged spurious manufacture even without relying on the analyst report, and committal through the Magistrate to the Sessions Court was held proper.

Practical impact: Spurious status may arise from false manufacturer identity or substitution independently of chemical analysis; complaints for Chapter IV offences still follow statutory committal procedure.

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2025-11-21 · High Court of Delhi · CRL.M.C. 2230 of 2021
Secondary VerifiedLicensing

M/s Gautam Gambhir Foundation & Others v. State of NCT of Delhi

Affected law: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 — Sections 18(c), 19(3) and 27(b)(ii); Drugs Rules, 1945 — Rule 123 and Schedule K

Summary: The Delhi High Court considered charitable procurement and free distribution of Favipiravir during the COVID-19 emergency under medical supervision.

Outcome / action: The petition was allowed and the complaint and summoning orders were quashed; the Court found compliant procurement and medically supervised charitable distribution during COVID-19 and held that continuing prosecution would abuse process.

Practical impact: Emergency aid providers should procure from licensed sources, maintain invoices, patient and medical-supervision records, and document compliant storage and distribution.

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2025-11-07 · High Court of Karnataka · Criminal Petition concerning C.C. No. 123/2023, order dated 7 November 2025
Secondary VerifiedQuality

Smt. Seema Chandrashekar & Another v. State of Karnataka

Affected law: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 — Sections 18, 19, 27(c), 28 and 28A

Summary: The Karnataka High Court considered retailer liability arising from hand-sanitizer products manufactured by another firm.

Outcome / action: The petition was allowed and the proceedings were quashed against the medical-store petitioners because the material did not establish knowing storage or sale of an unlicensed or NSQ product and the statutory defence was relevant.

Practical impact: Licensed retailers should retain purchase, supplier-licence and storage records supporting due diligence and the Section 19 defence.

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2025-10-09 · High Court of Kerala at Ernakulam · 2025:KER:75104; Crl.M.C. No. 8409 of 2025
Secondary VerifiedOther

M/s Theon Pharmaceuticals Limited & Others v. State of Kerala

Affected law: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 — Sections 18(a)(i), 27(d) and 34

Summary: The Kerala High Court considered a renewed challenge to prosecution involving an allegedly false reconstitution ring on C-Furo Dry Syrup packaging.

Outcome / action: The petition was dismissed because substantially similar quashing grounds had already been rejected in an earlier proceeding and the Supreme Court had dismissed the related special leave petition.

Practical impact: A later quashing petition cannot ordinarily re-open substantially identical grounds already decided; individual-role objections should be raised fully at the first opportunity.

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2025-09-08 · High Court of Madras · Crl.O.P. Nos. 22858 of 2023 and connected matters
Secondary VerifiedQuality

M/s Hetero Drug Ltd. & Others v. State represented by Drugs Inspector

Affected law: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 — Sections 17(b), 18(a)(i), 18(c) and 27(d); Drugs Rules, 1945 — Rules 65 and 96

Summary: The Madras High Court reviewed a long-pending prosecution against manufacturers and distributors concerning labelling, alleged misbranding and sale-licence conditions.

Outcome / action: The petitions were allowed and the entire complaint was quashed because the Court found no substance capable of sustaining the misbranding, labelling and licensing prosecution concerning Enthusia-50 tablets.

Practical impact: Complaints should identify a sustainable statutory breach for each manufacturer, marketer and distributor instead of treating all supply-chain roles alike.

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2025-09-02 · High Court of Judicature at Patna · Patna High Court, Criminal Miscellaneous No. 26240 of 2017
Secondary VerifiedCompany

Deepak Shanti Lal Parekh v. State of Bihar

Affected law: Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 — Section 34; Drugs Rules, 1945 — Rules 96 and 97; Code of Criminal Procedure — Section 482

Summary: The Patna High Court examined prosecution of a GSK non-executive director arising from third-party manufacture, marketing-name labelling and alleged misbranding.

Outcome / action: The application was allowed and cognizance was quashed against the non-executive director because the complaint alleged no specific role and the Magistrate had mechanically used a prepared printed format.

Practical impact: Marketing identity on a label does not itself establish a non-executive director’s criminal responsibility; complaints and process orders require person-specific facts.

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