Counterfeit BP medicine racket: 3 arrested in Ahmedabad-Lucknow bust
Synopsis
A counterfeit version of a common hypertension drug — indistinguishable from the original — was allegedly moving through a network spanning Lucknow, Jaipur, and at least 30 Gujarat pharmacies before the Ahmedabad Crime Branch stepped in. Two of the three arrested had already been caught in a similar Pune case just months earlier, raising urgent questions about how repeat offenders keep re-entering the pharmaceutical supply chain.
Key Takeaways
Ahmedabad City Crime Branch arrested three people on 26 August 2025 for allegedly running an interstate counterfeit blood-pressure medicine racket.
The fake drug involved was NICARDIA RETARD 10 (Nifedipine 10mg) , batch ACG25007 , allegedly mimicking a genuine product of J.B.
Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd .
The supply chain spanned Lucknow (UP) , Jaipur (Rajasthan) , and multiple Gujarat cities including Ahmedabad , Nadiad , and Bhuj .
FDCA inspected more than 30 medical stores ; seized 30 strips from Kishan Medical Store in Nadiad alone.
Two of the three accused — Devendra Yadav and Umang Rastogi — had previously been arrested in a duplicate-medicine case in Pune in June 2025 .
Police teams have been sent to Jaipur, Lucknow , and other locations to trace additional suspects; investigation is ongoing.
The Ahmedabad City Crime Branch on 26 August 2025 arrested three individuals from Ahmedabad and Lucknow for allegedly running an interstate counterfeit blood-pressure medicine network, with the supply chain traced from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan to pharmacies and medical agencies across Gujarat. The racket involved fake versions of NICARDIA RETARD 10 (Nifedipine Sustained Release Tablets IP 10mg), a commonly prescribed hypertension drug.
How the Racket Was Uncovered
J.B. Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd filed a complaint with the Gujarat Food and Drugs Control Administration (FDCA) on 19 August 2025, alleging that counterfeit versions of its product — bearing batch number ACG25007, manufactured in June 2025 and expiring in May 2028 — were in circulation. The company subsequently approached Ahmedabad Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlaut, prompting a joint investigation by the Crime Branch and FDCA.
Investigators traced the suspected counterfeit stock to Parshva Medical Agency in the Paldi area of Ahmedabad, which had allegedly received it from Sena Medical in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. A separate link to A.V.R. Medicos in Jaipur was also established in connection with stock found in Kutch.
Seizures Across Gujarat
FDCA inspections covered more than 30 medical stores and agencies before the arrests. Officials seized 30 strips of the specified NICARDIA RETARD 10 batch from Kishan Medical Store in Nadiad. Additional stock was recovered from Navkar Medical Agency and Mahadev Medical Agency in Bhuj.
According to the Crime Branch, the accused allegedly replicated the name, labels, and batch details of the genuine product to produce tablets that were difficult to distinguish from the original. Investigators allege those involved were aware that such medicines could cause serious harm or death but supplied them for financial gain.
The Three Accused
Police arrested the three at around 9:45 pm on 26 August 2025. The accused are Darshil Sanghavi, 39, of Paldi, Ahmedabad; Devendra Yadav, 39, of Lucknow; and Umang Rastogi, 34, also of Lucknow.
Sanghavi allegedly procured counterfeit stock and supplied it to sub-distributors in Ahmedabad and other cities. Devendra allegedly purchased counterfeit medicines at discounted prices and arranged their supply to Gujarat. Umang allegedly facilitated supply and sale in Gujarat, earning commissions in the process.
Notably, Devendra Yadav and Umang Rastogi had previously been arrested in June 2025 in a separate duplicate-medicine case registered at Vishramnagar Police Station in Pune. Rastogi also has a case from September 2022 under the GST Act. Sanghavi has no reported prior criminal history, according to the Crime Branch.
Legal Action and Ongoing Investigation
An FIR was registered at DCB Police Station under Sections 276, 277, 316(4), 336(2), 336(3), 338, 339, 340(2), 341(1), 111, 49 and 61 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Police teams have been dispatched to Jaipur, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, and other districts to trace others allegedly involved in manufacturing and distributing the counterfeit medicines.
The Crime Branch has appealed to medical stores, agencies, hospitals, and patients who may have received the suspected counterfeit medicine from the arrested accused or their network to contact the investigating officer. The investigation is continuing.
Point of View
But the counterfeit stock had already dispersed across Ahmedabad, Nadiad, Bhuj, and Kutch before action was taken. India's drug-counterfeiting problem is not new, but the speed at which fake batches of a hypertension drug — one taken daily by millions — can travel across three states points to systemic gaps in batch-level traceability. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita charges filed here carry serious weight; whether they translate into convictions will be the real test of deterrence.
NationPress
27 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What counterfeit medicine was at the centre of the Gujarat arrest?
The counterfeit medicine was NICARDIA RETARD 10 (Nifedipine Sustained Release Tablets IP 10mg), batch number ACG25007, manufactured in June 2025 and expiring in May 2028. The fake tablets allegedly replicated the name, labels, and batch details of the genuine product made by J.B. Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd, making them difficult to distinguish from the original.
Who were the three people arrested in the Ahmedabad fake medicine case?
The three arrested on 26 August 2025 are Darshil Sanghavi (39) of Paldi, Ahmedabad; Devendra Yadav (39) of Lucknow; and Umang Rastogi (34) of Lucknow. Sanghavi allegedly procured and distributed the counterfeit stock in Gujarat, while Yadav and Rastogi allegedly sourced and facilitated supply from Uttar Pradesh.
How did investigators trace the counterfeit medicine supply chain?
The investigation began after J.B. Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd complained to the Gujarat FDCA on 19 August 2025. A joint Crime Branch-FDCA probe traced the stock from Sena Medical in Lucknow to Parshva Medical Agency in Ahmedabad's Paldi area, and separately linked A.V.R. Medicos in Jaipur to stock found in Kutch. More than 30 medical stores were inspected across Gujarat.
Were any of the accused involved in previous fake medicine cases?
Yes. Devendra Yadav and Umang Rastogi had both been arrested in June 2025 in a separate duplicate-medicine case at Vishramnagar Police Station in Pune. Rastogi also has a September 2022 case under the GST Act. Darshil Sanghavi has no reported prior criminal history, according to the Crime Branch.
What legal charges have been filed and what happens next?
An FIR has been registered at DCB Police Station under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, including Sections 276, 277, 316(4), 336, 338, 339, 340, and 341. Police teams have been deployed to Jaipur, Lucknow, and other locations to trace additional suspects involved in manufacturing and distributing the fake medicines. The Crime Branch has urged affected medical stores, hospitals, and patients to contact investigators.
