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Panel probing theft of injection vials from ADH says hospital staff not cooperating
The case dates back to November 2025 when a class 4 employee—Swapnil Chavan, a drug store peon—was suspended under rules 2 and 4 of the Maharashtra Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules 1979 for stealing 20 vials of Mephentermine Sulphate from the hospital pharmacy.
PUNE: An inquiry committee constituted by the state health department to investigate the alleged theft of Mephentermine Sulphate injection vials from the Aundh District Hospital (ADH) has decided to finalise its report based on available facts alone, citing continued non-cooperation by the hospital staff; officials said on Sunday.
The case dates back to November 2025 when a class 4 employee—Swapnil Chavan, a drug store peon—was suspended under rules 2 and 4 of the Maharashtra Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules 1979 for stealing 20 vials of Mephentermine Sulphate from the hospital pharmacy. Subsequently, Chavan was attached to the rural hospital at Alandi as his headquarters during the suspension period to ensure an impartial inquiry.
Following a report published by Hindustan Times on November 13, 2025, titled ‘Hospital staff suspended for stealing Mephentermine vials’, Dr Bhagwan Pawar, deputy director of health services, Pune division, on the same day formed a two-member inquiry committee to probe the matter. The panel comprised the medical superintendent of Yerawada mental hospital and a pharmacist from the deputy director’s office, officials said.
According to officials, the committee visited ADH several times and tried to record the statements of six staff members. However, despite repeated requests over more than two months, none of the said staff members submitted the written statements required to facilitate the investigation. Officials said statements are pending from the head of the pharmacy and pharmacy distributor, the head of anaesthetists, the nurse in charge of the operation theatre, an operation theatre peon, and a drug store peon.
Dr Shrinivas Kolod, medical superintendent of the Regional mental hospital and head of the investigating panel, said that preliminary findings point to serious lapses. “During the initial investigation, we found that the stock of Mephentermine injections from 2023 to 2025 has been mismanaged and tampered with. Such non-cooperation has raised serious doubts and hampered the fact-finding process, and the stock tally is mismatched,” he said.
Dr Kolod added that as many as 40 vials of Mephentermine were found missing from the pharmacy and the operation theatre. “As per records, the injections were not utilised, yet the stock was unavailable. We will give one final opportunity next week and visit the hospital again to record statements before submitting the report,” he said.
According to officials, Mephentermine Sulphate is a schedule H drug and a cardiac stimulant often misused as a performance enhancer. It cannot be purchased without a prescription, and has a strong demand in the black market. In the past, the Pune police have arrested gym trainers, young professionals, and small-time peddlers for the illegal sale and use of the drug.
