Tag: drugs

Combiflam, Allegra, Calpol among top 300 brands to carry QR codes

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The top 300 pharmaceutical brands in the country are mandated to label their drugs that will be manufactured on or after August 1 with QR codes or barcodes, in order to help track and trace the medicines better.

All strengths of regularly used brands such as fever and pain reliever drugs Calpol, Dolo, Saridon, Combiflam to antibiotics like Azithral, Augmentin, Ceftum and even anti-allergy drug Allegra to thyroid drug Thyronorm will carry the QR codes. These will comprise basic information about the drugs, irrespective of where they are manufactured or bought in the country.

The draft notifications were released in November last year. They indicated that the drugs, as specified in Schedule H2, should print or affix barcodes or Quick Response (QR) codes on their primary packaging label or the secondary one, in case of inadequate space.

The data or information stored will have to include the unique product identification code, proper and generic name of the drug, name and address of the manufacturer, batch number, date of manufacturing and expiry and licence number.

The notification is applicable to all companies, both domestic and foreign, who are marketing the drugs in question in India, or who want to voluntarily adhere to the notification. While the QR code is currently only mandatory for the top 300 drug formulation brands, if a company wants they can voluntarily affix, print a barcode or QR code for any brand they wish.

The industry has welcomed the government’s move as it believes the QR codes will help track and trace the medicines, which in turn can help recall batches, if required.

More importantly, the codes will help identify counterfeit medicines, which are a problem for bigger brands. Hence, industry watchers believe such a step will help curtail the issue of substandard or spurious drugs in the country. The hope is that other companies, especially mid-sized ones, will start adhering to the norms irrespective of the marginally-higher packaging costs.

Also Read: Poison found in Indian-made cough syrup sold in Iraq, tests reveal

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Over 2,500 drugs found to be substandard, 379 spurious: Ministry of Health to Rajya Sabha

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Rajya Sabha was informed on Tuesday that out of 88,844 drug samples tested between April 2021 and March 2022, more than 2,500 drugs were found to be “not of standard quality,” and 379 were identified as spurious.

Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said that during the same period, 592 prosecutions were launched against those involved in the manufacturing, sale and distribution of spurious or adulterated drugs, per drug controllers.

When asked about the government’s actions against drug manufacturers responsible for international deaths, Pawar highlighted that the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has carried out joint investigations in coordination with state drug controllers.

The government has issued notices to and taken action against Maiden Pharma and Marion Biotech, the minister pointed out.

On central drug regulation, Pawar noted that the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, amended under the Drugs and Cosmetics (Amendment ) Act, 2008, imposes stricter penalties for the manufacture of spurious and adulterated drugs. Certain offences have also been made cognisable and non-bailable.

Additionally, special courts have been set up in states and Union Territories to expedite the trial of offences under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. The CDSCO has also significantly increased the number of sanctioned posts in the last decade.

To ensure drug efficacy, the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, have been amended to require applicants to submit the results of bioequivalence studies along with applications for manufacturing licenses of oral dosage forms of certain drugs.

The manufacturing establishment must undergo a joint inspection by drug inspectors from the Center and state before the grant of a manufacturing license.

Furthermore, amendments to the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, make it mandatory for applicants to submit evidence of stability and safety of excipients to the State Licensing Authority (SLA) before obtaining a manufacturing license.

Pawar mentioned that the CDSCO plays a pivotal role in coordinating the activities of State Drug Control Organizations and providing expert advice through the Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC) meetings, aiming to ensure uniformity in the administration of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

SLAs appointed by respective state governments exercise regulatory control over drug manufacturing, sale, and distribution through licensing and inspection systems.

Manufacturers are required to comply with the conditions specified in their licenses under the Act and Rules to sell and distribute drugs in the country. Cases concerning the quality or safety of drugs are handled by the SLA, which can take necessary actions, including prosecution in the appropriate court of law.

With agency inputs.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Drugs worth Rs 2,381 crore destroyed across India under Home Minister Amit Shah’s supervision

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday oversaw the destruction of over 1.4 lakh kilograms of drugs across various parts of India by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

The exact amount of drugs weighed 1,44,000 kilograms and was worth Rs 2,381 crore. With the destruction of drugs on Monday, the total quantity of drugs destroyed in just one year has reached around 10 lakh kg with a value of Rs 12,000 crore.

The drugs were destroyed in coordination with anti-narcotics task forces (ANTFs) of all states at the Drugs Trafficking and National Security regional conference in Delhi.

#WATCH | Delhi | Union Home Minister Amit Shah chairs Regional Conference on ‘Drugs Trafficking and National Security’ in New Delhi; over 1,44,000 kilograms of drugs being destroyed in various parts of the country by NCB, in coordination with ANTFs of all states. pic.twitter.com/ml5Lltq46b

— ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2023

The home minister virtually watched the destruction in the national capital.

ALSO READ | These painkillers and anti-anxiety drugs are now classified as narcotics in India — Check list here

The drugs destroyed include 6,590 kg seized by the Narcotics Control Bureau’s (NCB) Hyderabad unit, 822 kg seized by the Indore unit and 356 kg by the Jammu unit, the officials said.

Besides, various law enforcement agencies from different states also destroyed drugs 1,03,884 (1.03 lakh) kg in Madhya Pradesh, 1,486 kg in Assam, 229 kg in Chandigarh, 25 kg in Goa, 4,277 kg in Gujarat, 2,458 kg in Haryana, 4,069 kg in Jammu and Kashmir, 159 kg in Maharashtra, 1,803 kg in Tripura and 4,049 kg in Uttar Pradesh.

The bulk of the narcotics were from Madhya Pradesh, per a PTI report.

ALSO READ | India’s intelligence agencies seize over 3,800 kg of heroin worth Rs 26,000 crore since April 2021

From June 1, 2022, to July 15, 2023, regional units of the NCB and anti-narcotics task forces of the states collectively destroyed around 8,76,554 (8.76 lakh) kg of seized drugs worth around Rs 9,580 crore which is more than 11 times the target.

Per a May 2022 report, over 3,800 kgs of heroin worth Rs 26,000 crore had been seized by Indian intelligence agencies since April 2021.

As per a report by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) published in April 20a22, the seizure of heroin shot up from 3,231 kilos in 2019 to 3,838 kilos in 2020. The report also mentioned that the seizure of drugs, including heroin, in the first year of COVID was the highest since 2016.

With agency inputs.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Complaint filed against actor Vijay Thalapathy ahead of movie ‘Leo’ release | Here’s why

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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An online complaint was filed against actor Vijay Thalapathy ahead of the release of his movie ‘Leo’, News 18 reported on Monday. The complaint was filed by an activist, RTI Selvam, late Sunday for “glorifying drugs usage and rowdyism” in the movie, the report said.

Selvam reportedly urged the court to take action against the team under the Narcotic Control Act.

The complaint was filed in connection with a song titled “Naa Ready” in the movie. According to the Times of India, the activist claimed that a few lines of the song supports drug addiction and encourages rowdyism. He reportedly blamed Vijay for smoking a cigarette and consuming alcohol in the song.

Selvam is reported to have warned that he will file a case in a court demanding action against the actor.

Meanwhile, another activist Brinda Adige was quoted by News 18 as saying, “We are a nation that has many actors who have become politicians. So, we expect that they become positive role models for their fans. Because fans follow these actors and actresses.”

#CORRECTION | Complaint filed against actor #Vijay for ‘glorifying drugs’: Fair to put this kind of burden on actors?

“We are a nation that has many actors who have become politicians. So, we expect that they become positive role models for their fans. Because fans follow these… https://t.co/rIATke3y5t

— News18 (@CNNnews18) June 26, 2023

The much-awaited movie’s song “Naa Ready” was released on June 22 and the action thriller is expected to hit the theatres on October 19.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking: A look at top 10 countries with worst drug problems

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking or World Drug Day is observed every year on June 26. It aims to strengthen action and cooperation against drug abuse to achieve a world free of this menace. Several nations, individuals, communities, and organisations across the world, come together to mark the observance and work towards the cause.

This year’s campaign aims to raise awareness on the importance of treating people with drug problems with respect and empathy.

On this International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, here’s a look at the top 10 countries with the worst drug problems.

Afghanistan

Afghanistan is the biggest producer of opium (used to produce heroin) in the world and it remains one of the top drug trafficking countries. As per reports, the country is the source of nearly 90 percent of the world’s illicit opium supply.

Iran

Iran has one of the highest rates of addiction in the world with a significant chunk of the population consuming drugs like opium, heroin and crystal meth. A combination of high youth unemployment, inflation, and cheap availability of drugs from Afghanistan worsen the situation for the country making it difficult to fight addiction.

Colombia

The world’s largest producer of coca leaves, the main ingredient of cocaine, is estimated to produce over 14,000 metric tons of illicit coca leaves, amounting to 80 percent of the global supply. It is also one of the biggest exporters of the drug cocaine.

The United States

Even though the United States is not a significant producer or trafficker of drugs, it is one of the world’s top consumers of illicit drugs. The US population is at the greatest risk of drug-related deaths and it also has a significant population addicted to prescription painkillers which are mostly obtained from opioids.

Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic is one of the world’s biggest exporter of cannabis and as it shares a border with the United States it provides a gateway to a booming market for illicit drug traffickers. The country is also an important transit point for cocaine and other synthetic drugs coming from South America.

Mexico

Mexico is also one of the top exporters of illicit cannabis, and a significant producer of heroin. The Mexican cartels have an infamous history of running the global drug trafficking industry, and the country remains a significant transit point for illicit substances.

Russia

In Russia, intravenous drug use has become considerable among young adults and teenagers. As per reports, there are nearly a million heroin users in the country and the true number is estimated to be close to double of that. Due to illicit drug use, Russia also has one of the fastest-growing HIV/AIDS epidemics in the world.

Laos

Laos is one of the world’s biggest producers of crystal meth, which is attributed to the availability of precursor chemicals needed to produce the substance. The country is also a major exporter of heroin and a source country for human trafficking.

Nigeria

Nigeria is a major producer of the world’s most widely used illegal drug, Cannabis. The country is also a major source of methamphetamine.

It also produces Ayahuasca, an herbal brew that contains dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a synthetic hallucinogen, which is also exported separately from the country.

Philippines

The Philippines is a major source of methamphetamine, and a major supplier of heroin. It is also the home country is part of the Golden Triangle region which is notorious for opium cultivation.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Mumbai police arrest 160 persons in special drive against drugs

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Mumbai police have registered 115 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and arrested 160 persons for allegedly involved in trafficking, possession and distribution of drugs in the past four days, an official said on Friday.

The city police on Monday launched a special drive under which local police teams along with civic officials inspected areas near schools, colleges, markets, railway stations and gardens, the official said.

The official said drugs like MD, ganja, charas and cocaine were seized during the drive.

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Action was also taken against paan stalls selling illegal tobacco products, including imported cigarettes that do not have the mandatory warnings or visuals on the packs under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), he said.

Since Monday, police have taken action against 2,694 persons under the COTPA, while encroachment made by 574 paan stalls was removed, the official said.

City’s famous Muchhad Paanwala shop in Gamdevi, south Mumbai, also faced action over alleged violation of COTPA, he said.

In the last 24 hours, police examined 446 persons with a history of NDPS cases. They arrested 41 persons and registered 35 new cases, apart from seizing various drugs, he added.

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Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Retail prices of 74 medicines, including BP and diabetes, revised: Check here

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), which is India’s drug price regulator, has fixed the retail price of 74 drugs, including medicines for diabetes and high blood pressure.

The NPPA has revised and fixed the prices of drugs under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order 2013 after the decision was taken in the 109th meeting of the Authority which was held on February 21, news agency PTI reported.

The drug regulatory authority is mandated to fix or revise the prices of controlled bulk drugs and formulations. It also enforces the set prices and availability of medicines across the country. The NPPA also monitors the prices of decontrolled drugs to keep their prices at reasonable levels for users.

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Here are the new rates

As per the notification, the cost of one tablet of Dapagliflozin Sitagliptin and Metformin Hydrochloride (Extended-Release Tablet) has been revised and fixed at Rs 27.75.

Similarly, the drug regulatory body reduced prices of blood pressure medicine, including telmisartan, which is used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure, and diabetic kidney disease and bisoprolol fumarate which is used for heart disease. The cost of one tablet for both medications has been reduced to Rs 10.92.

The NPPA has revised the ceiling prices of 80 notified drugs as per the National List of Essential Medicines 2022. The list includes drugs which are used in the treatment of epilepsy and neutropenia.

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The NPPA has also fixed the price of Sodium Valproate (20mg) tablet at Rs 3.20.

The authority has fixed the price of Filgrastim injection (one vial) at Rs 1,034.51 and Hydrocortisone, which is a steroid, at Rs 13.28 per tablet.

The NPPA also has the responsibility of recovering overcharged amounts collected by manufacturers for controlled drugs from consumers.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

The Medicine Box | How are hospitals dealing with spurious drugs?

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Spurious drugs are a concern for hospitals with hospitals undertaking procurement directly from distributors and random testing to prevent it.

In this CNBC-TV18 special series, ‘The Medicine Box‘, Dr. Naresh Trehan, Chairman & MD at Medanta; Dr Ashutosh Raghuvanshi, MD & CEO, Fortis Healthcare and Suneeta Reddy, Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals talk about the concern around spurious drugs and means to tackle them.

Dr Raghuvanshi said this is a grave concern and needs to be taken care of. “For the hospitals themselves to be sure that nothing breaks in the supply chain, is rather difficult. The only thing we can do and what we try to do all the time is that we have very reputed distributors only. Then from time to time, we do some random testing as well. But still things can go under the radar,” he said.

He added that spurious drugs have to be prevented by authorities. “If it is coming directly from the company, usually we feel more secure. So, then the responsibility lies with the company and generally the reputed companies which we deal with, they make sure that it is taken care of,” he said.

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Suneeta Reddy said the company started the pharmacy chain because they were conscious of spurious and outdated drugs. “If you look at the way that our purchasing is done, there is a very strict guideline, and which is why most of the time even our generics that we sell, we have been very, very careful in quality testing. We don’t, in fact, sell the largest amount of generics as yet, like the others too, because we are very very careful on quality,” she said.

Meanwhile, Dr Trehan believes that the distribution system in not the culprit.  “We buy straight from the companies, who we know are reputed. They have a stake like we have a stake. So if you see what a brand means to a person. A well-established brand just tells you one thing that mostly their products will be standardized,” he said.

Also Read: Apollo Hospitals targeting occupancy level of 70%, says Suneeta Reddy

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

DRI report suggests manifold rise in seizure of high-value drugs in FY22

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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High-value drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin have witnessed record seizures by revenue intelligence officers in the last fiscal, according to a report by the Directorate Revenue Intelligence.

Signalling a disturbing trend, the figures revealed that the seizure of highly addictive party drug cocaine has shot up 36-fold to 310 kg in 2021-22 from 8.7 kg in 2020-21 and just 1.1 kg in 2019-20.

Another high-value party drug methamphetamine saw a 14-fold increase in seizures by DRI officers at 884.69 kg in 2021-22, up from 64.39 kg in 2020-21.

Besides, 3,410.71 kg of heroin, a highly addictive opioid drug, was seized in 2021-22, up 17-fold from the previous fiscal. Of this, 2,988 kg was seized at Mundra port in 2021-22.

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In 2020-21 and 2019-20, 202 kg and 143 kg of heroin were seized by the DRI officers across the country.

According to the DRI report, two key trends have been observed in drug smuggling in recent times. These are the trafficking of heroin via trade routes, particularly through containers; and innovation in concealment by drug syndicates to evade detection during the examination.

The apparent reasons for this trend shift may be attributed to the following factors — Restrictions on global movement via land and air route owing to Covid-19; altered geo-political situation in the region; capacity to smuggle large quantities; trade volumes making it easier to conceal; concealment in diverse trade goods is difficult to detect; and ease of transportation to destination, the report said.

The seizure of Ganja has, however, declined to 26,946 kg seized in 2021-22 against 45,992 kg seized in 2020-21 and 34,797 kg in 2019-20.

Of this, maximum seizures were made in Madhya Pradesh (5,846 kg), followed by Tripura (4,264 kg), Uttar Pradesh (3,141 kg) and Assam (2,800 kg).

DRI arrested about 131 persons during the Financial Year 2021-22 for offences committed under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.

Also Read: New tactical tools needed to check sale of drugs through dark net, social media, crypto: DRI report

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Indian Yoga Guru accuses Bollywood stars, Salman Khan of consuming drugs in viral video: Watch here

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Kicking up yet another storm, Indian Yoga guru Baba Ramdev, on Sunday accused Bollywood superstars, including actor Salman Khan of consuming drugs and alleged that drugs are rampant in the industry and in politics. He mentioned Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan and accused other Bollywood actors.

Video clips showing Ramdev make explosive comments have gone viral on social media.

Baba Ramdev was speaking at the Aryaveer and Veerangana conference in Moradabad on Saturday. In his speech he said, “Salman Khan takes drugs, I do not know about Aamir Khan. Shah Rukh Khan’s child was caught while taking drugs and remained in jail. As far as actresses are concerned, God alone knows about them.”

When did Salman Khan get married? Where did you find his child, #businessman_Ramdev ji??? pic.twitter.com/QFUUUTehK7

— Muijul Hoque Talukder (@MuijulT) October 16, 2022

He added that drugs are rampant in the film industry and there are drugs in politics too. He alleged that liquor is distributed during elections, and citizens should promise to make India free from drug addiction. “For this we will launch a movement,” he said.

Also read: Patanjali ghee fails in food safety test: What Baba Ramdev said

Last year, Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau as a suspect during a drug raid in a cruise ship. He was later acquitted by the court after the agency failed to sufficiently prove their claim as no drugs were recovered from Aryan’s possession.

Several other stars like Deepika Padukone, Shraddha Kapoor, Rakul Preet Singh, Arjun Rampal, Rhea Chakraborty were also questioned by the NCB in separate investigations last year.

Also read: Social media erupts after filmmaker Sajid Khan moves into Bigg Boss house

Baba Ramdev’s recent claim now targets Salman Khan while no drug cases have been registered against the actor.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow