Shimla/Baddi: In a major crackdown on pharmaceutical fraud, the Himachal Pradesh State Drug Control Administration has unearthed an organised racket that allegedly operated a fake pharmaceutical company using forged government documents to cheat buyers across the country and tarnish the reputation of the state’s pharmaceutical industry.
One accused has been arrested during the operation in Baddi for allegedly posing as a legitimate drug manufacturer by creating fake drug manufacturing licences, GMP-GLP certificates, product approvals and other regulatory documents. The accused is alleged to have secured orders and advance payments from pharmaceutical traders by presenting forged documents as genuine.
A case has been registered against the accused, and further investigations are underway.
According to the Drug Control Administration, the operation was launched after State Drug Controller Dr. Manish Kapoor received specific information about the fraudulent activities. A special investigation team comprising Drug Inspectors Vikas Thakur, Suresh Kumar and Akshay Thakur was constituted to probe the matter. With the assistance of the Baddi Police, the team successfully exposed the alleged fraud.
During the investigation, the accused, identified as Ajay Kumar, was found to be operating a fake pharmaceutical firm under the name ‘M/s Dr. Trustmed’. Officials recovered forged drug manufacturing licences, GMP-GLP certificates, product approvals, drug product labels and several other regulatory documents purportedly issued by the Himachal Pradesh Drug Control Administration.
The investigation also led to the seizure of electronic devices, which reportedly contained a large number of fake licences, certificates and fabricated regulatory documents designed to closely resemble authentic government records. Officials said the accused had also created websites, online profiles and other digital platforms to project the fake company as a genuine pharmaceutical manufacturer and gain the confidence of prospective buyers.
Following the completion of legal formalities, the accused has been handed over to the Cyber Crime Police Station, Kaithal, Haryana, for further investigation. Technical and forensic examinations of the seized electronic devices are also being carried out to identify the full extent of the network and to trace other individuals possibly involved in the racket.
