Journalism of Courage
Investigation of the illegal sale of abortion pills has revealed the names of four doctors who allegedly purchased these pills from a medical representative arrested in the case on Thursday.
The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) department has registered an offence at the Vishrambaug police station against Arun Fattechand Chordia,owner of Amol Distributors,and three medical representatives Sunil Dahibhate,Pukhraj Sudhar and Amol Sonawane.
Dahibhate and Sudhar were arrested on Thursday while Sonwane and Chordia are on the run. Assistant police inspector M B Suryavanshi produced Dahibhate and Sudhar before the magistrate court on Saturday seeking extension of their custody for seven days.
Police submitted before the court that Sudhar sold the abortion pills to Pushparaj Kolapkar,owner of Kalika Saurjical Pharma,Dr Nirmala Shivarkar,Saswad,Dr Jayshri Hole,Saswad and Dr Suresh Kalekar,Somwar Peth,without prescription letters.
Police said investigation is on to find out why Chordiya gave the abortions pills to medical representatives without prescription letters.
Police also submitted that suspect Chordiya,during the investigation earlier,had produced bills in the name of Dr Lata Wavhal,Dr Bharti Sanjana,Dr Suresh Kalekar and Dr Asha Kale. Police said an investigation was on to find out the authencity of the bills.
The defence counsel,advocate Abhijit Bidkar,argued that abortion pills are branded and can be taken by any woman,with prescription from a gynaecologist,within 45 days to avoid pregnancy. He said his clients are medical representatives who only take orders and deliver the medicines to doctors. They have revealed the names of doctors to police and their further custody is not required. The court,however,remanded them in police custody till June 25.
