The Union Cabinet on Thursday night accepted the recommendations of the Mashelkar Committee and approved an amendment to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act to provide death penalty for those involved in manufacturing, selling and dealing with fake drugs.

The offences under this act will now be made non-bailable and cognisable, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said after the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Manufacturing and sale of fake drugs amounted to "mass murder purely for earning profit" and "crime against ailing humanity", the minister said.

The bill will be introduced in the current session of Parliament and will be referred to the concerned Parliamentary Standing Committee.

She said the amendment would also include establishment of special courts for speedy disposal of cases and provide for compounding of certain offences.