Bengaluru fake medicine racket: Khader says ₹5 crore drugs seized; 90+ hospitals, clinics under probe | Top updates

Karnataka Minister UT Khader said the state has busted a suspected counterfeit drug racket in Bengaluru, with fake medicines worth nearly ₹5 crore seized. The SIT is probing interstate links and alleged supplies to over 90 hospitals and clinics.

Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Minister UT Khader has said the state government has busted a suspected large-scale counterfeit medicine racket in Bengaluru, claiming the network has interstate ramifications and may have supplied fake medicines and ICU injections to hospitals and clinics.

In a post on X, Khader said the Karnataka Health & Family Welfare Department and the Food Safety and Drug Administration raided a farmhouse near the Bidadi Toll Gate on August 18 and seized suspected fake and expired medicines worth nearly ₹5 crore.

According to Khader, the state government constituted a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by a senior IPS officer on August 19 to lead the interstate investigation.

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The Karnataka government raided a farmhouse, seized fake medicines worth nearly ₹5 crore, and formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the counterfeit medicine network.

The racket involved supplying counterfeit life-saving medicines and ICU injections to over 90 hospitals and clinics, posing significant health risks to patients relying on these essential drugs.

The authorities discovered the network during a raid on August 18, 2023, where they found large quantities of suspected counterfeit and expired medicines, leading to further investigations.

Investigations indicate that the counterfeit medicine network may have connections beyond Karnataka, with over 15 medical representatives suspected of facilitating the movement of medicines across state lines.

No, all hospitals and nursing homes in Karnataka have been directed not to use the seized medicines, as they are suspected to be counterfeit.

The SIT includes officers from the Food Safety & Drug Administration and Commercial Taxes departments.

Khader said the preliminary probe found that the network was procuring cheap bulk drugs from manufacturing hubs in Telangana and Himachal Pradesh, refilling them into new vials at the Bidadi facility and relabelling them as premium imported brands of multinational companies.

He also alleged that counterfeit Pfizer drugs meant for patients and ICU wards were among the medicines involved.

Pharmacy owner arrested

The SIT and Drugs Control Department later raided Krupa Healthcare near Minerva Circle in Bengaluru, where they seized a large stock of suspected counterfeit medicines.

Police arrested the pharmacy's owner, Veeresh Kumar Jain, as part of the probe.

According to reports, the pharmacy was allegedly being used as a storage point before the medicines were distributed to medical shops, hospitals and clinics.

More than 90 hospitals, clinics under probe

The network allegedly supplied counterfeit cancer drugs, other life-saving medicines and ICU injections to more than 90 hospitals and clinics in Bengaluru, allegedly offering them at discounts of around 50%.

According to the probe, cited by an Indian Express report, low-cost medicines were allegedly rebranded and sold under different names, while expired medicines were allegedly repackaged in new containers with counterfeit labels resembling those of reputed pharmaceutical companies.

Interstate links being investigated

The investigation has indicated that the suspected racket may have extended beyond Karnataka. More than 15 medical representatives are suspected to have facilitated the movement of medicines.

Police suspect Veeresh Kumar had been operating the firm for about five years and allegedly had links with Prashant, described by investigators as a key accused and alleged kingpin of the network.

Prashant is absconding and efforts are underway to trace him. Veeresh Kumar is currently the only person arrested in the case.

Karnataka seeks Centre's help

Khader said the full list of suspected spurious and counterfeit drugs has been communicated to the Union government and all state governments.

Every hospital and nursing home in Karnataka has also been directed not to use the seized medicines.

Khader said he wrote to Union Health Minister J P Nadda on August 19, seeking the support of CDSCO and central regulatory agencies to map the suspected supply chain and stop the nationwide distribution of counterfeit medicines.

Following the Bidadi raid, the SIT widened its investigation and conducted coordinated searches at more than 10 locations across Karnataka, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.

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