Fake “Life-Saving” Cancer Drugs Sold In Vials: Delhi Medicine Racket Busted

The Delhi Police on Tuesday busted a fake drug racket and arrested seven people, including two employees of a hospital in northwest Delhi’s Rohini, involved in the manufacturing and supply of fake cancer drugs. 

The accused used to fill anti-fungal medicine worth Rs 100 into empty vials and sell them as “life-saving” cancer drugs all over the country, China and the US for Rs 1 to 3 lakh per vial.

During the operation, which ran for over two years, the accused sold more than 7,000 injections.

According to the police, the fake medicines were being manufactured in two flats in DLF Capital Greens, Moti Nagar by Viphil Jain, the mastermind of the whole operation, who used to work at medical shops. The fake cancer drugs were filled into drug vials here by his associate, Suraj Shat. 

Three cap-sealing machines, 1 heat gun and 197 empty vials were recovered from the two flats along with Rs 50,000 and $1,000 in cash, senior police officer Shalini Singh said.

In a flat in Gurugram, another accused Neeraj Chauhan stored a large stock of fake cancer injection vials. As many as 519 empty bottles and 864 packaging boxes were seized from the flat.

Chauhan, who had worked as a manager in the oncology department of several hospitals, joined hands with Jain in 2022, using his knowledge of the drugs to sell fake chemotherapy injections at affordable rates.

Chauhan’s cousin Tushar, a lab technician, who was involved in the supply of the fake drugs has also been arrested along with Parvez, a former pharmacist at a cancer hospital, who used to arrange empty vials for Jain. Police seized 20 empty vials from Parvez.

Two employees of a Delhi-based cancer hospital, Komal Tiwari and Abhinay Kohli, were also arrested. Police say they used to provide empty vials from the hospital to Jain at Rs 5,000 each.

A case of selling adulterated drugs, cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy has been registered against the seven men.