Daijiworld Media Network - Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad, Jun 29: Investigators probing the blood plasma adulteration racket in Gujarat have confirmed that all 1,140 plasma units seized from the residence of the alleged kingpin were contaminated, medically unsafe and unsuitable for transfusion, prompting authorities to begin destroying the stock while widening the investigation to several blood banks in neighbouring Maharashtra.
Ahmedabad Rural Police said a forensic examination conducted by the Department of Pathology at B.J. Medical College established that every plasma unit recovered from the residence of the prime accused, Dinesh Chaudhary, failed to meet the quality standards prescribed by the Food and Drugs Administration.
The laboratory report concluded that the plasma was of extremely poor quality, posed a serious threat to human health and could not be used for medical transfusion.
Investigators now believe that not only the counterfeit replacement plasma but also the genuine plasma allegedly stolen from consignments was adulterated before being sold in the market.
According to the police, the accused siphoned off portions of genuine plasma from sealed units and replaced the extracted quantity with saline solution to maintain the original volume. The tampered units were then repackaged and substituted into consignments destined for a pharmaceutical company, ensuring the number of units supplied remained unchanged while the stolen plasma was diverted for illegal sale.
The investigation has further revealed that the genuine plasma removed from consignments was itself diluted before being supplied to two blood banks in Maharashtra, allegedly enabling the accused to increase volumes and generate higher profits.
Ahmedabad Rural Superintendent of Police Om Prakash Jat said four people have been arrested so far, including the owners of the two Maharashtra blood banks that allegedly received the adulterated plasma.
According to the police, the blood banks are located in Washim and Jalna. Investigators are now examining whether the contaminated plasma supplied to these facilities was transfused into patients or distributed to other medical institutions.
Jat said that if evidence emerges linking the adulterated plasma to illness or deaths, investigators will invoke additional legal provisions and expand the list of accused accordingly.
He noted that forensic experts found the plasma lacked therapeutic value and failed to meet mandatory hygiene and safety standards, making it unfit for any medical use.
The Special Operations Group (SOG) has also expanded the investigation to several other blood banks in Maharashtra, including facilities in Ahmednagar, Dhule, Nashik, Bhusawal and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, where verification and questioning are currently underway.
Investigators are scrutinising the role of officials at these blood banks while coordinating with the Gujarat Health Department, Food and Drugs Department, laboratories and the Gujarat State Council for Blood Transfusion.
Police have also obtained the standard operating procedures governing blood bank operations and are examining whether mandatory protocols were violated at any stage of the plasma collection, storage and transportation process.
Officials said the findings could lead to recommendations for strengthening regulatory safeguards and plugging loopholes allegedly exploited by the accused.
The investigation is additionally reviewing licensing norms, qualification requirements and regulations governing the sale and transfer of blood plasma between blood banks and pharmaceutical companies to identify weaknesses in the existing regulatory framework.
According to the police, inspections of blood banks across Gujarat have already been initiated by the Health Department following the exposure of the racket.
Authorities have, however, clarified that no evidence has been found so far to indicate that adulterated plasma was supplied to any hospital or blood bank within Gujarat.
The racket was uncovered by the Ahmedabad Rural Police's Special Operations Group after receiving intelligence inputs about the suspected tampering of plasma consignments meant for a pharmaceutical company in Changodar.
Police allege that Dinesh Chaudhary, a former blood plasma collection executive, masterminded the operation using his technical expertise, with the assistance of transport personnel Jitendra Solanki and Rafik Khalifa, who allegedly diverted consignments before delivery.
A fourth accused, Mohan Dajiba Gaikwad from Maharashtra, was later arrested as the investigation widened.
The accused have been booked at Changodar Police Station under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to cheating, endangering human life, adulteration and criminal conspiracy.
During the raids, investigators seized 1,140 blood plasma units along with a deep freezer, chemical containers, sealing equipment, empty plasma bags and a pick-up vehicle allegedly used to facilitate the illegal operation.