A Haridwar-based company has been caught supplying fake antibiotics across the country, following a raid in Nagpur. A 1,200-page chargesheet was submitted to the Rural Police Station on September 20. The so-called "antibiotics" were nothing more than talcum powder mixed with starch powder, posing serious risks to public health.

Further investigations revealed that the racketeers were involved in hawala transactions to smuggle crores of rupees from Mumbai to Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. This money was used to purchase the counterfeit medication, which was then distributed to states such as Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh.

The case first came to light in December 2023 when drug inspector Nitin Bhandarkar discovered the fake antibiotics during a routine check at the Rural Hospital in Kamleshwar. Following the discovery, a formal complaint was filed at the Kamleshwar Police Station, and the firm responsible was blacklisted by the Civil Surgeon’s office. Due to the national scope of the fraud, the case was transferred to IPS officer Anil Mhaske, the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Saoner. As news of the case spread, similar complaints emerged from other districts, including Thane, Nanded, and Wardha.

Initially, Hemant Muley, who had secured the tender to supply the fake antibiotics to the Nagpur hospital, was named as the prime suspect. His associates, Mihir Trivedi and Vijay Chaudhary, were also implicated. Vijay Chaudhary, already imprisoned for a similar fraud case, was taken into police custody for further questioning.

During interrogation, Chaudhary revealed the names of several accomplices from Haryana, including Gajanan Singh, who was identified as one of the suppliers of the counterfeit medication. He also named two Saharanpur-based individuals, Robin Taneja, alias Himanshu, and Raman Taneja, as key players in the racket. Acting on this information, the police, along with IPS officer Anil Mhaske, raided a location in Haryana where the Taneja brothers were found operating a front business—a salon. The brothers disclosed the whereabouts of Amit Dhiman, who was running a laboratory for manufacturing the fake drugs. Dhiman was subsequently arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police.

The bank accounts of the suspects revealed transactions worth crores of rupees, providing clear evidence of their involvement in the fraudulent operation. The police are continuing to investigate the extent of the racket and the possibility of additional accomplices.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Yash Kamble/MSM)