418 units of counterfeit rabies vaccine seized in Delhi, supply traced to Kanpur

Of the seized stock, 120 vials were collected as legal samples for testing and sent to the Central Research Institute, Kasauli. The remaining 361 units, along with seven purchase invoices, were seized under relevant sections of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

During questioning, the Bhagirath Palace firm told investigators that it had sourced the vaccine from an agency in Kanpur. The information was shared with the Uttar Pradesh State Drug Department, which raided two locations, including premises of the Kanpur agency, and confirmed it was indeed the source of the supply to Delhi.

The DDC department said it is now tracing the distribution network.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Health Minister Singh said the crackdown was not limited to rabies vaccines. “Since our government came to power, we have taken proactive action against spurious medicines, whether they are for cancer, rabies, or TB,” he said. “These drugs affect public health, and that is why our policy against them is strict, without exception.”

Singh further said, “We have a zero-tolerance policy for people selling spurious vaccines. Rabies is a fatal and serious disease, and we cannot compromise on the quality of the vaccine. Strict action will be taken against everyone involved in this, even suppliers outside Delhi.”

On August 27, the Drugs Controller General of India had written to all state drug control departments, asking them to step up vigilance on the movement, distribution and availability of  a misbranded vaccine batch.

IIL has said that every batch of Abhayrab undergoes independent government testing before release, and that vaccines supplied through authorised channels, including hospitals and licensed pharmacies, remain unaffected.

The case draws attention back to a burden India has struggled to shake off for decades. A 2025 study by the Indian Council of Medical Research, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases and based on a nationwide survey of nearly 79,000 households, estimated 5,726 deaths occur due to human rabies in India each year. Three out of every four animal bites were caused by dogs.