Supply chain link uncovered following questioning of Ejaz in Lucknow; packaging machinery recovered from a basement in Saharanpur
Over 32.5 kg of medicine strips, hundreds of printed cartons and packaging material seized in Saharanpur
Role of individuals and firms linked to Roorkee and Haridwar also under investigation
Purchase-sale records, invoices and ledgers of medicines also being examined in Lucknow
FIRs registered in both Lucknow and Saharanpur cases; further investigation underway
Lucknow, Sept 2026 : In its stringent action against counterfeit medicines, the Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) has uncovered a link in a fake medicine supply network operating between Saharanpur and Lucknow. Following the questioning of the accused named Ejaz, after he came under the ambit of FSDA action in connection with the supply of counterfeit medicines in Lucknow, a major operation was carried out in the Nagal area of Saharanpur based on information obtained during the interrogation.
During the operation in Saharanpur, a complete setup related to the packaging of medicines was found. A stripping machine, batch stereos, die punches and a large quantity of packaging material, including printed aluminium foil, were recovered from a basement. Meanwhile, in another action in Lucknow, examination of purchase-sale records, invoices and ledgers of medicines revealed that two batches of Levera-500 were found to be 'not genuine in nature' during testing by the government laboratory. FIRs have been registered in the matter and further action is underway.
Saharanpur resident Ejaz has also been named in an FIR registered at Aminabad police station in Lucknow. He is accused of being involved in the supply of cheap and counterfeit medicines. In recent days, the accused named Ejaz was arrested in Lucknow by the Lucknow SOG and police in connection with the same case.
During questioning, he emerged as a key link in the entire network. As per the investigation, Ejaz arranged medicines and packaging material from different locations and transported them to the concerned locations as part of the network. Based on information obtained during his questioning in Lucknow, the investigation in the Saharanpur connection was taken forward, leading to the action in the Nagal area.
During the FSDA operation at a house in Village Kota in Nangal area of Saharanpur, materials related to the packaging of medicines were found. The room contained 41 corrugated boxes of Lupin and two corrugated boxes of Macleods. In a basement beneath them, a stripping machine, printed aluminium foil of Defcort-6, batch stereos and various die punches were found.
During questioning, Vinod stated that medicines were packaged in the basement.
During the operation, around 32.555 kg of Defcort-6 strips, 973 printed cartons, 472 printed cartons of Rosuvas F-10, around 6.950 kg of yellow tablets and 4.900 kg of white tablets were recovered. In addition, printed aluminium foil of Rosuvas F-10 and Defcort-6, along with around 6.370 kg of plain aluminium foil, was also recovered.
The FIR registered in Saharanpur has named Vineet Kumar, Prateesh Kumar, Prem Malik, Ishtkar Bhai, Rehman, Amit Sen, Ejaz and Ubaid in connection with the illegal counterfeit medicine trade. The FIR also states the accuseds allegedly operated as an organised syndicate.
According to Vineet’s statement, Ishtkar, Rehman and Amit Sain supplied materials such as tablets, printed and plain aluminium foil, printed cartons and batch stereos. After packaging, the prepared strips were taken away by Ishtkar, Rehman, Amit Sain, Ejaz and Ubaid.
During questioning, Vineet stated that he had worked at Prizark Healthcare and Radiant Printo Pack in Roorkee.
The FSDA team recorded the recovered material on Form-16 and sealed it in 15 bags. The heavy stripping machine was sealed inside the room and basement itself. The samples of four medicines were collected for testing and analysis.
In other action by UPFSDA, during an investigation in the Aminabad area of Lucknow, documents and transactions related to M/s Curepath International Private Limited, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, M/s Shrikrishna Pharmaceuticals Distributors and M/s Vinod Pharmaceuticals Distributors were examined.
Samples of Levera-500 batches N2600803 and N2601077 were sent for testing and were found by the government laboratory to be not genuine in nature.
During the reconciliation of purchase and sale records, against the purchase of around 76,790 strips, the figures for sales and stock were recorded at 85,832 strips. This discrepancy has led to a deeper investigation into the supply chain and the related records.
Following this, the FSDA registered an FIR and has initiated further action in the matter.
