Delhi Police Arrest 17 in ₹9 Crore Fake Anti-Cancer Drug Syndicate Bust
The Delhi Police Crime Branch has arrested 17 people for allegedly operating an interstate syndicate involved in procuring, storing, repackaging, and selling counterfeit and illegally diverted anti-cancer medicines across Delhi-NCR and other cities.
Police recovered 588 filled vials, six empty vials, seven empty medicine boxes, and 3,021 units of medicines valued at approximately ₹9 crore. Investigators also seized ₹50 lakh in cash, packaging materials, electronic devices, registers, and diaries during the crackdown.
The syndicate operated through networks of intermediaries across Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, and Hyderabad. According to police, the drugs were sourced through three channels: counterfeit medicines obtained from unauthorised sources, supplies diverted from hospitals treating cancer patients, and government-supplied stocks diverted from public institutions and warehouses.
The racket came to light following an initial tip-off received on June 22. On July 11, seven teams from the Inter-State Cell conducted coordinated raids across Delhi and Navi Mumbai alongside local police. A case was subsequently registered on July 12 under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Investigators found that the accused procured medicines without valid documentation and stored them prior to distribution. To conceal the origins of the products, members of the syndicate allegedly reused original cartons and empty boxes, using acetone to wipe away original batch numbers and maximum retail price (MRP) details before repackaging them.
Police stated that Abhishek Vaishya allegedly procured and supplied anti-cancer medicines through unauthorised routes, aided by Shubham Kumar Chaudhary and his brother Suraj. An associate named Gagan allegedly obtained injections from Satish Kumar on behalf of Vaishya.
Another accused, Mukesh, allegedly procured medicines directly from hospitals to supply pharmacists and brokers. Police recovered 12 vials and ₹16.50 lakh in cash from his vehicle. Vishwas Tyagi allegedly created invoices without corresponding supplies, while Paramjeet Sheoran distributed medicines through his medical store.
In Hyderabad, Srinivasulu Kalva, Ramdas Satish Kumar, and Malugari Srinath Reddy were arrested for allegedly receiving and misappropriating medicines meant for cancer patients. Mayank Garg allegedly procured and circulated hospital stock. Deepak alias Ravi, a former personal assistant to an oncologist, allegedly received vials from nursing in-charge Jaswant Sharma; police seized 108 vials and ₹6.50 lakh from Deepak's residence.
The Delhi Police stated that the investigation remains underway to map the entire financial trail, trace beneficiaries, and identify additional individuals and business entities linked to the network.
