The Karnataka government on Thursday ordered a special investigation team (SIT) probe into a suspected interstate fake drug racket allegedly involved in repackaging and relabelling medicines under the names of reputed multinational brands, officials said.
The decision comes days after officials from the Drug Enforcement Wing of the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration department raided an unauthorised pharmaceutical facility at Kurubarakeranahalli near Bidadi in Bengaluru South district.
The six-member team will be headed by C Vamshikrishna, joint commissioner of police, West, Bengaluru city, they said. According to an order, the other members are Shiva Prakash Devaraju, superintendent of police; Lokesh B Jagalasur, superintendent of police (CID); Manjunath Reddy, assistant drugs controller (Bengaluru); Namrata Hallur, assistant drugs controller (Bengaluru South District); and Neha Murugi, drugs inspector (Bengaluru South District).
Deep Dive
What actions did the Karnataka government take against the suspected fake drug racket?
How is the SIT investigating the counterfeit medicine network in Karnataka?
What were the findings during the raid on the unauthorized pharmaceutical facility?
The team will submit periodic progress reports to the ADGP, Law and Order, who will forward them to the DG&IGP, the order said.
The raid reportedly uncovered a large-scale operation involving the illegal repackaging and relabelling of medicines. Four people have already been arrested in connection with the case, while investigators suspect that the alleged kingpin is currently hiding abroad.
Taking the seriousness of the allegations into account, the state government has now transferred the investigation to an SIT headed by senior IPS officer C Vamshikrishna.
{{/usCountry}}Taking the seriousness of the allegations into account, the state government has now transferred the investigation to an SIT headed by senior IPS officer C Vamshikrishna.
{{/usCountry}}The SIT will include IPS officers Shivaprakash and Lokesh, along with Assistant Drug Controllers Manjunath Reddy and Namrata Hallur and Drug Inspector Neha Murki. The team has been tasked with conducting a detailed investigation into the network, its financial transactions, supply chain and those allegedly involved in manufacturing and distributing the counterfeit medicines.
Health minister UT Khader and home minister G Parameshwara had earlier indicated that the government was considering an SIT investigation following the discovery of the racket.
According to officials, the Drug Enforcement Wing conducted the raid on August 18 at an unlicensed pharmaceutical manufacturing facility located at No. 34, Kurubarahalli village, near Bidadi.
During the operation, officials allegedly seized counterfeit medicines, bulk stocks, packaging machinery, empty vials and fake labels. The total estimated value of the materials seized has been put at around ₹5.05 crore.
The investigation has raised serious concerns because the alleged racket was reportedly supplying fake injections and tablets using the names and packaging of reputed multinational pharmaceutical companies. Officials are examining whether the medicines were distributed across Karnataka and other states.