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Delhi Police have arrested four persons in connection with the distribution of a misbranded batch of Abhayrab rabies vaccine, which was found not to have been manufactured by Indian Immunologicals Ltd.
The action follows a joint search conducted by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police and Drugs Inspectors from the Drugs Control Department, Government of NCT of Delhi, at an unlicensed premises in Mukherjee Nagar, Delhi, on April 22, 2026.
During the search, authorities seized Abhayrab rabies vaccine bearing Batch No. KE25012. The vaccine was subsequently found to be misbranded and Not of Standard Quality (NSQ) by the Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL), Kasauli, the government vaccine testing laboratory.
Following the seizure, officials from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) were called to the premises to conduct legal sampling. The samples were then sent to CDL, Kasauli, for examination.
The laboratory findings, including details of the misbranding identified in the seized product, were communicated by the office of the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to States and Union Territories for regulatory vigilance and necessary action.
On August 27, 2026, the DCGI also directed all State Drugs Controllers to alert their inspectorate staff and maintain strict vigilance over the movement, distribution and availability of the affected batch of the drug. Authorities were asked to take appropriate regulatory action under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and the rules framed under it.
As a precautionary measure, Indian Immunologicals Ltd., the manufacturer of Abhayrab, issued a public communication providing the facts concerning the misbranded product. The company reaffirmed its commitment towards maintaining the highest standards of quality in the manufacture and supply of its vaccines.
The manufacturer has stated that every batch of Abhayrab is released for sale only after independent testing and batch-release certification by CDL, Kasauli.
It has also been confirmed that no part of the affected batch was exported to any other country.
The seizure and subsequent regulatory action form part of the ongoing coordinated efforts of drug regulatory and law enforcement agencies against the illegal manufacture, distribution and supply of misbranded and spurious drugs.
The CDSCO, State Drug Control authorities, Drugs Control Department, GNCTD and law enforcement agencies continue to maintain strict vigilance and strengthen coordinated enforcement efforts to identify and disrupt unauthorised drug supply networks and safeguard the quality and safety of medicines available to the public.
