"Pankaj Sharma, who not only sold them at his own pharmacies in Panchkula but also distributed them to other states”
Uttarakhand STF Arrests Key Distributor of Fake Medicines Sold Across Delhi, Punjab, Haryana & UP
Fake Medicines Sold Across Delhi, Punjab, Haryana & UP Latest News Updates: The Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) on Tuesday arrested a key member of a gang involved in manufacturing and selling fake life-saving medicines, as part of an ongoing crackdown on the counterfeit drug racket, The Hindustan Times reported, citing police sources.
According to the report, the arrest was made in Zirakpur, Punjab, where the owner of a medical store was taken into custody.
The accused, identified as Pankaj Sharma, the owner of Noble Pharmacy/Life Science, was arrested from the Dhakoli area in Zirakpur following a sustained investigation and manual surveillance by STF personnel, according to Senior Superintendent of Police (STF) Navneet Singh Bhullar, who spoke on Wednesday.
Sharma is accused of being a key distributor of counterfeit medicines, which were sourced from Rajasthan and sold across various states, including Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
SSP Bhullar stated that the accused used ambulances to smuggle fake medicines in order to evade detection.
“The ambulance, bearing registration number CH 01T 3977, was used to transport spurious medicines to cities like Noida, Bhiwadi, and Delhi under the guise of medical emergencies,” Bhullar was quoted as saying in the report.
He further added,“So far, five people have been arrested in the case, including the alleged mastermind. The STF had earlier apprehended Santosh Kumar on June 1 with a large consignment of counterfeit wrappers, outer boxes, QR codes, and labels mimicking reputed pharmaceutical brands.”
The case was transferred to the STF due to its serious implications on public health and national revenue, he added.
Subsequently, Naveen Bansal, Aditya Kala, and Devi Dayal Gupta were also arrested.
“During interrogation, Bansal disclosed that he supplied counterfeit medicines to Pankaj Sharma, who not only sold them at his own pharmacies in Panchkula but also distributed them to other states,” Bhullar said.
Bhullar further stated that Pankaj Sharma allegedly made hefty profits by avoiding taxes and compromising public health.
He said that further investigations are underway to trace the wider network and identify other individuals or companies involved in the counterfeit drug racket. Efforts are also being made to ascertain Sharma’s criminal history in other states, and further arrests are likely.
Bhullar also mentioned that, as per the report, Director General of Police Deepam Seth had earlier instructed the STF to intensify action against gangs involved in the counterfeit drug trade.
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