Bengaluru fake cancer drug racket: over 90 hospitals under SIT scanner

Bengaluru police are investigating a large fake drug racket involving cancer medicines and other life-saving drugs. Officers are examining whether more than 90 hospitals and clinics in the city were supplied fake or repacked medicines. A joint investigation by the Bengaluru police Special Investigation Team (SIT) and the Drug Control Department has led to the arrest of pharmacy owner Veeresh Kumar Jain on suspicion of links to the network.

The investigation gathered pace after a raid on Kripa Healthcare near Minerva Circle, where a large quantity of suspected fake medicines was seized. Investigating officers suspect the premises were being used for storage and distribution of drugs. The network is accused of supplying cancer medicines, life-saving drugs and ICU injections to hospitals, clinics and medical stores.

According to investigators, these medicines were being supplied at nearly 50 percent discount. It is suspected that cheap medicines were bought and rebranded under different names before being sold at higher prices. Expired medicines are also alleged to have been repacked into new boxes with fake labels, some of which investigators say resembled the branding of well known pharmaceutical companies.

More than 15 medical representatives are also under investigation on suspicion of helping deliver or transport these medicines to medical stores, hospitals and clinics. Investigators are also probing whether the racket extended to other states. Joint Commissioner of Police (West) and SIT chief Vamsi Krishna said the full extent of the network is not yet clear.

To trace the movement of drugs and money, police have begun examining seized bank transactions, purchase and sale records and other documents. Police suspect Veeresh Kumar has been running the operation for the past five years. He is alleged to have links to a person named Prashant, believed to be the main accused and mastermind of the network. Prashant is currently absconding and police are searching for him.

The case began on August 18 with a raid on a farmhouse in the Bidadi and Doddri area of Bengaluru South district. The raid led to the seizure of suspected fake medicines worth around Rs 5 crore, along with fake bills, injection filling equipment and fake labels.

Following the farmhouse raid, the investigation was widened. Simultaneous search operations were carried out at more than 10 locations across Karnataka, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. It was during this that the names of Kripa Healthcare and Veeresh Kumar came up. The SIT and the Drug Control Department are now working to identify which hospitals, clinics and medical institutions received supplies of these suspected medicines. Whether these medicines were used on patients and the full scale of the racket will become clear only after the investigation is complete. So far only Veeresh Kumar has been arrested in the case, while the search continues for the absconding Prashant.