A detailed 1,200-page chargesheet submitted by rural police on September 20 has revealed shocking facts about the supply of fake antibiotics to government hospitals. These supposed antibiotics were nothing but a mixture of talcum powder and starch, manufactured in a Haridwar-based veterinary medicine laboratory. This revelation has sent shockwaves throughout the healthcare system.
Hawala Channels Used for Illegal Transactions
In addition to the disturbing supply of counterfeit drugs, the racketeers behind the operation used hawala channels to transfer huge sums of money. Crores of rupees were funneled from Mumbai to Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh to procure fake medicines. These spurious drugs were then distributed to hospitals across several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra.
Discovery of Fake Drugs
The case came to light in December last year when Nitin Bhandarkar, a drug inspector, discovered that the antibiotics supplied to the rural hospital in Kalmeshwar were fake. Following this, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lodged a complaint against the suppliers and distributors, leading to the blacklisting of the involved firms by the civil surgeon’s office. The matter gained further attention when The Times of India reported on the FDA’s actions.
Special Investigation Launched
Given the severity of the case, Rural SP Harssh A Poddar assigned the investigation to IPS officer Anil Mhaske, posted as SDPO Saoner. As the Nagpur rural police uncovered more startling facts, similar cases were registered across Maharashtra, including in Wardha, Nanded, and Thane, implicating the same racketeers.
Key Arrests and Raids
The investigation initially led to the arrest of Hemant Muley, who had won the tender to supply medicines to government hospitals in Nagpur. Further offences were filed against Mihir Trivedi and Vijay Chaudhury. Chaudhury was already serving time for a similar fraud when he was taken into custody by rural police for this case.
During Chaudhury’s interrogation, he revealed the involvement of a supplier named Gagansingh, leading the police to conduct a raid in Haryana. However, instead of a drug manufacturing site, the police discovered a salon. Chaudhury further identified Robin Taneja, alias Himanshu, and Raman Taneja from Saharanpur as key figures in the operation.
Links to Haridwar Laboratory
The investigation eventually led the authorities to the Haridwar veterinary laboratory owned by Amit Dhiman, who was already in jail after being arrested by Uttarakhand’s Special Task Force (STF). Dhiman was also implicated in this case after further investigation. According to Mhaske, the racketeers’ bank records revealed transactions worth crores, pointing to the large scale of this illegal operation.
This fake drug scandal has raised serious concerns about public health and the integrity of the pharmaceutical supply chain across India.