The Bhoiwada police have registered a case against four individuals accused of cheating multiple patients across hospitals in Mumbai by falsely claiming to possess ayurvedic medicines capable of curing serious illnesses such as cancer. The accused were booked on Wednesday for allegedly extracting significant sums of money—ranging from thousands to even lakhs of rupees—from patients and their families by offering these purported cures.
According to the police, the fraudulent activity involved approaching patients or their relatives outside major hospitals, such as KEM Hospital, Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children, and Tata Memorial Hospital, and persuading them to purchase so-called ayurvedic medicines. The concoctions sold to these patients were essentially made from common ingredients such as bitter gourd, bottle gourd, gooseberry, tulsi, and coconut oil, marketed as a miraculous cure.
“We have registered an offense against the four accused,” stated Sachin Kadam, the senior police inspector at the Bhoiwada police station. The arrested individuals were identified as Chalu Swami Melkundi, aged 29, and Mangesh Varghanti, aged 27, both residents of Andheri; and Parshuram Mallakhule, aged 36, and Dinesh Varghanti, aged 24, both from Mankhurd.
Multiple patients had previously informed the authorities regarding the fraudulent activities of a gang promising a 100% cure for various severe ailments through Ayurveda. The accused allegedly charged amounts between ₹5,000 and ₹2.5 lakh, depending on the financial standing and urgency of the patient. “We had registered a similar case in 2022, in which ₹2.5 lakh had been taken from a patient under the promise of a complete cure,” a police officer mentioned.
The fraudulent treatments provided to the patients included powders and juices made by mixing tulsi, bottle gourd, and bitter gourd with coconut oil. These concoctions were presented as medicines that promised a cure within a month. If dissatisfied patients returned after a month of treatment, they were referred to an ayurvedic center located in Thane, added the police officer.
Furthermore, it was found that the accused had no certifications, qualifications, or licenses to practice Ayurveda or to sell medicinal products. “Samples of the medicines they provided have been collected and will be sent to a forensic laboratory for analysis,” stated the police officer.
The arrests were made when the police, after receiving several complaints, conducted surveillance outside KEM Hospital in Parel. The accused were apprehended when they arrived to sell their products. The four individuals have been booked under sections 125B (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 318 (4) (cheating) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
The police have urged patients and their families to remain vigilant against such fraudulent activities and to seek treatment from licensed healthcare providers only. Authorities have also emphasized the importance of verifying the authenticity of anyone claiming to provide alternative medicinal treatments, especially in cases involving life-threatening conditions.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Ankur Deka/MSM)