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Rs 5 Cr spurious drug racket unearthed in K’taka; Health Minister calls for interstate probe

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Bengaluru: A racket involving spurious drugs allegedly carrying labels of multinational pharmaceutical companies has been unearthed in Ramanagara district, with drugs worth over Rs 5 crore seized, Health Minister U.T. Khader said on Wednesday. Seeking an interstate probe, Khader said initial investigation has revealed possible links to fake drug manufacturing units operating in other parts of the country.

The racket came to light after beat police personnel alerted the authorities on Tuesday evening. Acting swiftly on the information, officials from the Drug Control Department and the Commissionerate of Food Safety and Drug Administration conducted a raid at a farmhouse in Bidadi, where the spurious drugs were allegedly stored and repacked before being supplied to pharmaceutical outlets and hospitals.

One person, identified as Prabhudev, has been arrested in connection with the case. Ramanagara Superintendent of Police is currently conducting the investigation.

Khader said preliminary investigation has revealed possible links to fake drug manufacturing units operating in Telangana, Himachal Pradesh and other parts of the country.

The accused allegedly procure drugs at very low prices and relabel them using the names and labels of multinational pharmaceutical companies before supplying them to hospitals and medical outlets.

“Even tablets used in ICUs are being faked and labelled with multinational companies’ names. If an injection costs Rs 20,000, they supply it for Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 to hospitals,” Khader said, describing the racket as a serious issue that extends beyond Karnataka.

The minister said the premises where the drugs were stored was operating without a valid licence. Officials are also investigating whether labels and stickers used on the spurious medicines were manufactured locally or procured from other sources.

“We suspect that the accused may have procured labels and stickers from hospitals and used them for fake drugs,” Khader said.

According to the minister, the suspected racket has several layers, including the procurement of raw materials and medicines, logistics, repackaging, distribution and supply to hospitals and medical shops. Authorities are now trying to identify the middlemen involved and the hospitals and outlets that may have received the spurious medicines.

Khader said the main accused, identified as Prashanth, is believed to be based in Dubai, while Tejas has been identified as the person operating on the ground. Prabhudev has been arrested and is being questioned to establish the entire supply chain.

The minister said the case cannot be treated as a Karnataka-only issue as the suspected network involves multiple states and an accused allegedly based outside the country. He called for a coordinated investigation involving the state and Central governments.

“I have already spoken to the Union Health Minister and the Home Ministry. The Health and Home departments should have a joint team to investigate the matter,” Khader said.

He said he would also discuss the matter with Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge and seek the formation of a Special Investigation Team to probe the interstate and international links.

Khader said authorities need to establish where the spurious drugs originated, who provided logistical support, how the medicines reached Karnataka, who acted as intermediaries and which hospitals and medical shops purchased them.

He also warned that establishments procuring medicines at unusually low prices could come under scrutiny as part of the investigation.

The minister said the Drug Control Department has a database containing details of more than 12 lakh medicines and that authorities routinely identify and ban spurious drugs when they enter the market.

Khader praised the officials who conducted the raid and said the government would consider rewarding personnel involved in uncovering the racket.

“This is not limited to Karnataka. Such factories may be operating across the country. We need a separate and coordinated investigation considering the logistics, supply chain and consumers,” he said.

Officials have so far seized spurious medicines worth more than Rs 5 crore. Further details are expected as the Ramanagara police investigation progresses.

Crime

CISF seizes foreign currency worth Rs 1.13 crore at Kolkata airport

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Alert personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) detected foreign currency worth approximately Rs 1.14 crore concealed in the hand baggage of two passengers bound for Bangkok at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata.

The detection took place around 10:20 a.m. on October 19 during routine security screening at the International Terminal Security Hold Area. A CISF screener noticed suspicious images in the X-ray scans of the hand baggage carried by the two passengers scheduled to travel to Bangkok on Bhutan Airlines flight B3700. The bags were subsequently referred for physical examination.

During the inspection, CISF personnel recovered USD 1,19,900, equivalent to approximately Rs 1,13,64,002, concealed inside false bottoms of the two bags. The foreign currency had been wrapped in newspaper in an apparent attempt to conceal it from security personnel.

Of the total amount recovered, USD 74,900 was found in the hand baggage of one passenger, while USD 45,000 was recovered from the other passenger’s bag.

Following the prescribed formalities, both passengers, along with the seized currency, were handed over to the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Customs for further investigation and necessary legal action.

On October 20, the passenger from whose baggage USD 74,900 was recovered was taken by AIU/Customs officials to the District and Sessions Court for further legal proceedings following the investigation and seizure. The second passenger was released by Customs after the issuance of a detention receipt for the USD 45,000 recovered from the passenger’s baggage.

CISF in a release reiterated its commitment to maintaining aviation security through effective screening procedures, alert surveillance and professional conduct by its personnel. According to officials, the detection stresses the importance of coordinated action between airport security personnel and Customs authorities in addressing suspected financial and currency-related violations.

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Crime

Gujarat: Man held after 0.77 grams of mephedrone found in ‘porter’ delivery parcel

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A 27-year-old businessman was arrested by Naroda police after 0.77 grams of suspected mephedrone, valued at Rs 1,540, was found in a parcel being delivered through the Porter application near Nana Chiloda Circle in Ahmedabad, police said on Wednesday.

The case came to light after police received a control-room message about a suspicious parcel that had arrived for delivery through the application.

The substance was examined preliminarily by a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) officer in the presence of panch witnesses and was found to be mephedrone, a synthetic drug.

Police seized the substance and initially registered an offence against three unidentified mobile phone holders under Sections 8(c), 22(a) and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

During the investigation, they traced and arrested the man suspected of ordering the consignment through the parcel.

The accused was identified as Priyang Sanghvi (27). He is a businessman who lives in Aram Park Flats in the Sabarmati area of the city. He is originally from Shirodi village in Rajasthan’s Sirohi district.

According to the police, the suspected method involved using a mobile phone number belonging to a witness to log in to the Porter application.

Drug consignments were allegedly packed separately in zipper bags and sent through the delivery service. An intermediary was allegedly used to distribute the drugs to different customers for sale.

The police said the arrest followed instructions from senior officers to curb the illegal sale and transportation of narcotic substances and detect offences related to them.

“The operation was conducted by Naroda police personnel under the supervision of Senior Police Inspector B M Katariya,” officials said.

The police seized 0.77 grams of mephedrone, valued at Rs 1,540. The investigation concerns the alleged use of a parcel delivery application to transport the substance and its subsequent distribution through an intermediary.

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Crime

Bihar: 75-year-old man stabbed to death; woman and her son injured

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A 75-year-old man was allegedly stabbed to death, while a woman and her 25-year-old son were injured in a violent clash between neighbours at Rohda Kala village under Barharia police station limits in Bihar’s Siwan district on Wednesday.

The deceased was identified as Rama Nandan Prasad, son of the late Garib Bhagat.

The injured were identified as Baby Devi, 44, and her son Kishan Kumar, 25.

The injured were taken to the Barharia Community Health Centre for treatment. While Kishan received primary medical care, Baby Devi was referred to Siwan Sadar Hospital due to her critical condition.

According to Kishan Kumar, his grandfather was sitting outside the house drinking tea while his mother was cooking, and he was asleep.

Hearing a commotion, he went outside and found his grandfather lying in a pool of blood.

He then heard his mother crying from inside the house and rushed in, where he allegedly saw neighbours attacking her with knives. When he tried to intervene, he was also injured in the attack.

Kishan claimed that he had no prior dispute with the neighbours and said the reason for the attack was unclear.

With the help of residents, two alleged assailants were apprehended and handed over to the police.

After receiving information, the Barharia police reached the village and launched an investigation.

A Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team was also called to collect evidence from the scene.

The police have set up a camp in the village amid tension following the incident.

Barharia Station House Officer Chhotan Kumar said a patrolling officer was initially sent to the spot, after which he reached the village to investigate the incident.

He said an FIR has been registered against the named accused based on Kishan Kumar’s statement.

The two detained suspects are being questioned, while the motive behind the incident remains unclear.

Police said further action would be taken based on the investigation.

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