The Centre has told the Supreme Court that capping trade margins on anti-cancer medicines at 30 per cent of their maximum retail price (MRP) is expected to save patients around Rs 2,500 crore annually, with the proposed measure likely to reduce the MRP of such drugs by 20 to 70 per cent.

In an affidavit filed before the apex court in a pending plea seeking regulation of medicine prices, the Union government, through the Department of Pharmaceuticals, said it had decided to rationalise trade margins on anti-cancer drugs after extensive consultations with stakeholders and an assessment of the potential impact on the availability and affordability of medicines.

The proposed cap was intended to curb excessive trade mark-ups while retaining a reasonable margin for distributors and retailers, adding that an expert committee had been constituted to recommend the list of anti-cancer medicines to which the measure would apply, it said.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare constituted the committee on October 9 under the chairmanship of the Director General of Health Services, and it is expected to submit its report within 10 to 15 days.

“The trade margin is to be capped at 30 per cent of the MRP, on the same lines as was done in the TMR of 2019. The objective is to retain a reasonable trade margin while preventing excessive margins,” the affidavit stated.

The Centre said the list would cover drugs approved for the treatment of cancer, except inexpensive medicines, and could be periodically updated in view of market developments and public health considerations.

According to the affidavit, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) would place the committee’s recommendations before its authority for deliberation and appropriate directions, following which it would issue a price notification and instructions to manufacturers to ensure that the benefits were passed on to patients.

The government said the proposed measure was expected to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure for cancer patients, improve affordability and accessibility of medicines, and bring greater transparency to the prices actually paid by consumers.

The affidavit was filed in response to a public interest litigation by Dr Sanjay Kulshrestha, which raises concerns over medicine pricing and the need for effective regulation of trade margins in the pharmaceutical sector.

The Centre maintained that a comprehensive statutory and policy framework was already in place to regulate drug prices, including the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, and that the government had been taking calibrated steps to address excessive margins without compromising the availability of essential medicines.

The government also referred to its earlier intervention in 2019, when the NPPA imposed a 30 per cent trade margin cap on 42 selected non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines.

According to the affidavit, the measure resulted in a reduction in the MRP of 526 brands and generated annual savings of approximately Rs 984 crore for patients, based on information provided by companies.

The Centre said the earlier intervention provided a policy precedent for extending trade margin rationalisation to a broader range of non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines.

However, it stressed that such interventions required careful consideration of their impact on different stakeholders, including small and medium pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors and retailers, particularly those operating in remote areas.

The affidavit said some industry associations had expressed concerns that extending the cap could affect employment and medicine distribution in remote regions, given the dependence of smaller manufacturers on local traders and multiple distribution channels.

“Implementation of Trade Margin Rationalisation (hereinafter TMR) affects different stakeholders differently and, hence, requires extensive consultation with all stakeholders and a well-calibrated approach,” the affidavit stated.

The Centre said higher trade margins could sometimes be necessary for low-value medicines, drugs requiring specialised storage or handling, fragile products and medicines with low turnover, as retailers might otherwise find it commercially unviable to stock them.

It added that differences in distribution costs and market conditions had to be taken into account while framing a broader regulatory approach.

The government further referred to measures taken under its extraordinary powers under Paragraph 19 of the DPCO, 2013, including the capping of prices of certain diabetes and cardiovascular medicines, the fixation of ceiling prices for coronary stents and knee implants, and the regulation of trade margins on oxygen concentrators and other medical devices during the Covid-19 pandemic.

It also highlighted initiatives such as the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana, which provides generic medicines through around 19,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras, and AMRIT pharmacies, which offer discounts on essential and life-saving medicines.

The affidavit said the government remained conscious of the need to balance affordability, accessibility and availability while regulating medicine prices.

“The Government has, in the public interest, been taking calibrated and consultative steps, including by invoking its extraordinary powers under Paragraph 19 of the DPCO, 2013, to curb excessive trade margins without compromising the availability of medicines,” it stated.

Delhi Police arrested two men in connection with alleged burglaries in two houses. The cases had been registered at Wazirabad police station in North Delhi and the cops recovered stolen gold and silver jewellery, cash amounting to Rs 42,670, house-breaking tools and other items, officials said on Friday.

The accused, identified as Sameer alias Sadam, 23, and Mujammil alias Monu, 26, were apprehended following an extensive investigation involving the analysis of hundreds of CCTV cameras, route tracking, local Intelligence and technical surveillance. The police also recovered a stolen scooter allegedly used by the accused to conduct reconnaissance and commit burglaries.

According to the police, the recovery of jewellery and other evidence has helped solve two house theft cases registered at Wazirabad police station.

On October 10, a case was registered at Wazirabad police station under Section 305 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) following a complaint by Sanjiv Bhaumik, a resident of Wazirabad, Delhi. He reported that unidentified persons had stolen gold and silver jewellery and cash from his premises.

The police formed a dedicated team led by Sub-Inspector Naveen Sindhu, in-charge of Sangam Vihar Police Post. The team comprised Assistant Sub-Inspector Anil, Head Constables Deepak, Sandeep, Rohtash and Ankit Bainsla, Constables Ashutosh and Neeraj, and Constable Anupma.

The team worked under the supervision of Inspector Prashant Anand, Station House Officer (SHO) of Wazirabad police station, and the guidance of Shashikant Gaur, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Burari.

During the investigation, the police examined CCTV footage from cameras installed at the crime scene and nearby areas. The footage revealed that the two suspects had arrived at the location on a white scooter.

The police subsequently activated their local Intelligence network and began tracking the suspects’ movements by analysing footage from hundreds of CCTV cameras installed along the suspected routes.

After sustained efforts, the team traced the suspects’ movements to a house in Bhajanpura, Delhi. During local enquiries, one of the suspects was identified as Sameer alias Sadam, a resident of Gali No. 16 in Bhajanpura.

Further investigation revealed that the suspects had left Delhi for Shivpuri in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, on the morning of October 14.

Acting on technical inputs and Intelligence, the police team tracked down and apprehended Sameer from Shivpuri, Rishikesh, on October 15 with the assistance of technical surveillance.

During interrogation, Sameer disclosed his alleged involvement in the theft along with his associate, Mujammil alias Monu, a resident of Sethi Enterprise Wali Gali in Bhajanpura. Acting on his disclosure, the police arrested Mujammil from Bhajanpura on the same day.

Subsequently, the police recovered stolen gold and silver jewellery and cash amounting to Rs 42,670 from the respective residences of the accused.

During sustained interrogation, both accused allegedly admitted to their involvement in the theft. They also disclosed that they had committed another jewellery theft a few days earlier at a house in the Hardev Nagar area.

In connection with the second incident, e-FIR No. 80080272/2026 was registered at Wazirabad police station on September 21 under Section 305 of the BNS.

With their arrests, the police have claimed to have worked out two cases registered at Wazirabad police station: e-FIR No. 80086467/2026, dated October 10, and e-FIR No. 80080272/2026, dated September 21, both registered under Section 305 of the BNS.

Several schools in the national Capital received bomb threats on Friday, prompting the Delhi Police and fire department to launch search operations. No suspicious objects or incriminating evidence have been found so far, and investigations are underway.

According to the Delhi Police, Venkateshwar Public School in Rohini and Salwan Public School in Mayur Vihar were among the institutions that received threats. The fire department received calls regarding the two schools at around 9.37 a.m. and 9.57 a.m., respectively.

Police said the threat received by Salwan Public School in Mayur Vihar mentioned a possible bomb attack on October 30.

Following the alerts, police teams and fire department personnel rushed to the schools and initiated security checks. The premises were thoroughly searched as a precautionary measure. However, no suspicious objects or materials were found during the initial searches.

The investigation is currently underway to establish the origin and credibility of the threats.

Earlier, on October 12, several schools in Noida, adjacent to Delhi, received bomb threats via email, triggering panic and heightened security measures. The institutions included Apeejay School, Step by Step School and Delhi Public School (DPS) GBN in Sector 16.

Following the threats, the police and local administration were alerted, and security checks were immediately initiated at the affected schools.

Bomb disposal squads, dog squads, anti-sabotage teams and fire brigade personnel were deployed to conduct comprehensive searches of the school premises.

According to the Gautam Buddh Nagar Police, personnel from the respective police stations took immediate action and coordinated with other security agencies. Various areas of the schools were searched with the assistance of bomb disposal squads and dog squads, while anti-sabotage teams and fire brigade personnel also participated in the security checks.

However, no suspicious objects or materials were recovered during the searches.

Repeated bomb threats targeting schools in Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region have raised concerns among law enforcement agencies, school administrations, students and parents.

Such threats often trigger emergency security protocols and disrupt regular academic activities, prompting authorities to conduct thorough investigations to ensure the safety of students and staff.