THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Drugs Control Department is in a fix over fake officials duping drug stockists by forging the department emblem, letterhead, officials’ signatures and looting lakhs of rupees. With druggists and stockists not willing to reveal the actual facts, the department is finding it harder to book the real culprits.In a recent episode in Thrissur, a wholesale drug dealer was duped by some persons and was able to get away with more than `50,000. The dealer was asked to pay 30 per cent amount of the stock as per some new directions from the government. With respect to the cheque given by the dealer, a receipt was given with the emblem of the Drugs Control Department and the forged signature of an Assistant Drugs Controller who had retired last year.
The department has taken serious note of the situation and has given instructions to all officials to check for such frauds. Stating it is a serious crime to misuse the emblem and forge a retired official’s signature, they have cautioned the drug dealers to take extra care. The Thrissur incident came to light only when the dealer approached the office of the Drug Controller for verifying the recent order of paying a certain amount of the stock to the government.
“It was only when they approached us could they see they have been duped,’’ said Assistant Drugs Controller (Thrissur) P M Jayan. Once the incident came to light, a case was registered with the police, he said. Meanwhile, Drugs Controller in Charge Ravi S Menon said it is for the first time they are coming across such an incident. “They forged the emblem of the drugs controller and misused the signature of a retired official from the department. The persons who are involved in the crime seems to be directly connected with the drug industry,’’ he said.
Noting that most of the time wholesale dealers try to hide many things even if they get cheated, he said, “Some of them at least do not want to cooperate with the officials in the Drugs Department. Many of the issues can be solved if they directly communicate with us.” It has to be noted the Drugs Control office never accepts cheques, he said. ‘’If the persons who were duped had called us to know the facts, they would not have lost the money. We only accept e-payment and treasury challans, he added.
Alert sounded
The Drugs Control Department has taken serious note of the situation and has given instructions to all officials to check for such frauds
it is a serious crime to misuse the department’s emblem and forge a retired official’s signature