MP govt tightens law against food, drug adulteration amid Interpol warning on fake Covid-19 vaccine
State home minister Narottam Mishra said, “there has been an Interpol warning on fake Covid-19 vaccine. In Gwalior, two to three cases of (adulteration in) plasma were reported recently.”
Expressing concern over the Interpol’s warning on fake Covid-19 vaccine, the Madhya Pradesh government has decided to amend laws to ensure life imprisonment to those found guilty for food and drug adulteration, state home minister said.
Home minister Narottam Mishra disclosed the information on the state government’s decision after the state cabinet meeting held virtually and chaired by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday.
Briefing journalists about the state government’s decisions, the home minister said, “The government is committed to checking adulteration effectively. Chief minister is monitoring the government’s action against adulteration. We have two to three regions in the state where adulteration in food and milk is reported (regularly).”
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The home minister said, “There has been an Interpol warning on fake Covid-19 vaccine. In Gwalior, two to three cases of (adulteration in) plasma were reported recently. We will not allow anyone to play with lives of people. That’s why the government has decided to enhance the quantum of punishment from 3 years to life imprisonment.”
Similarly, the state cabinet approved a proposal from the law department to award five years of imprisonment to those found guilty for selling food, medicines, beverages beyond their expiry date.
Notably, in the first week of December, the Interpol warned law enforcement agencies across the globe that organised criminal networks could try to advertise and sell fake Covid-19 vaccines physically and on the internet.
In an ‘Orange’ notice issued to all 194 member countries, the Lyon-based international police cooperation body warned agencies to prepare for potential criminal activity concerning “the falsification, theft and illegal advertising of Covid-19 and flu vaccines”.