Karnataka's Special Investigation Team (SIT) has apprehended Balasubramanian, a key Chennai-based pharma partner, recently in Chennai, escalating the total number of arrests in the widespread fake medicines racket to seven. His capture follows seven days of interrogation of alleged kingpin Prashanth Ranjan, who provided critical details about the illicit network.
Balasubramanian, identified as a partner in DM Pharma alongside Ranjan, allegedly played a pivotal role in the manufacturing and distribution of counterfeit medications. After his production before a court, authorities remanded him to SIT custody for seven days for further questioning, based on clues gathered during the ongoing investigation.
This development builds upon the earlier arrest of Prashanth Ranjan Babu, the prime accused, at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Monday. Ranjan had reportedly fled to Azerbaijan after the fake medicine network's exposure but returned to India under pressure from the SIT, where he was immediately taken into custody upon arrival.
The extensive probe, originating from a major scam centred in Bengaluru, uncovered counterfeit, expired, and relabelled life-saving, ICU, and cancer drugs valued at over Rs 5 crore. Investigators revealed the illicit network supplied compromised medications to more than 90 hospitals and clinics. SIT raids have since expanded across Karnataka, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra, aiming to uncover the network's full extent, operational duration, and manufacturing sites.
In response, the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) cancelled 16 drug licenses and suspended eight others belonging to retailers, wholesalers, and distributors linked to the fraud. Notably, the Pfizer C&F (Carrying and Forwarding) Depot's license was among those suspended, as Health Minister U.T. Khader stated the agency failed to cooperate with investigators or provide necessary reference standards for lab-testing seized components. With counterfeit cancer and critical care drugs in circulation, the Health Department is actively tracking affected patients and urges the public to meticulously check packaging for suspicious labels and report non-scanning QR codes directly to drug enforcement authorities.
Image: mangalorean.com
đź“° Source: Mangalorean News