Surat chemist arrested for selling animal liver supplement as Himalaya Liv.52 Drops
Synopsis
A Surat chemist allegedly refilled bulk animal liver supplement into small bottles bearing counterfeit Himalaya Liv.52 Drops labels and sold roughly 1,000 of them to unsuspecting human patients over a year — until a joint SOG and Food and Drugs Department raid on 13 October caught him with the evidence. The case lays bare how easily a trusted Ayurvedic brand can be weaponised to mask a veterinary product.
Key Takeaways
Mohammed Sajid Ibrahim Mulla , 51, of Shree Shantinath Medical Store, Gopipura, Surat , was arrested on 13 October in a joint SOG–Food and Drugs Department raid.
He allegedly refilled Himalaya Liv.52 Protec Liquid Animal Feed Supplement into small bottles and sold them with counterfeit Himalaya Liv.52 Drops labels meant for human use.
Around 1,000 bottles were reportedly sold over approximately one year , according to DCP Rajdeepsinh Nakum .
Seized items included a five-litre veterinary container , empty bottles, counterfeit stickers, caps, and a mobile phone; total seizure value placed at ₹31,195 .
Case registered under Sections 123, 125, 336(2), 336(3), 336(4), and 278 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 at Athwa police station.
Police have urged past customers who experienced adverse effects to seek medical care and contact law enforcement immediately.
A medical store owner in Surat, Gujarat, has been arrested for allegedly repackaging a veterinary liver supplement and selling it as a human medicine by affixing counterfeit labels of Himalaya Liv.52 Drops, the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Gujarat Police said on Wednesday, 14 October 2026. The accused reportedly sold around 1,000 bottles of the fraudulently labelled product over approximately one year.
How the Fraud Was Carried Out
The accused, Mohammed Sajid Ibrahim Mulla, 51, operated Shree Shantinath Medical Store in the Gopipura area of Athwa, Surat. According to police, he allegedly refilled Himalaya Liv.52 Protec Liquid Animal Feed Supplement — available in one-litre and five-litre containers — into smaller bottles and affixed counterfeit labels identifying the contents as Himalaya Liv.52 Drops, a product approved and marketed for human use. He then sold the repackaged bottles to customers as a liver medicine for human consumption.
Mulla was apprehended on 13 October during a joint raid conducted by the SOG and the Food and Drugs Department, following verified intelligence about the alleged activity at the store.
What Police Recovered
Deputy Commissioner of Police (SOG) Rajdeepsinh Nakum confirmed the details of the operation. During the raid, investigators seized a five-litre container of the veterinary supplement valued at ₹1,050, a 60 ml bottle of Liv.52 Drops valued at ₹140, and a mobile phone valued at ₹30,000. Additionally, the team recovered seven empty unlabelled bottles, seven additional empty bottles of 60 ml and 100 ml capacity, seven caps, seven stoppers, and six counterfeit stickers bearing the Liv.52 Drops 60 ml label. Officials put the total value of seized items at ₹31,195.
Charges Filed and Legal Action
A case has been registered against Mulla at Athwa police station under Sections 123, 125, 336(2), 336(3), 336(4), and 278 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The charges relate to adulteration of drugs and substances likely to cause harm to those who consume them. The accused had allegedly been running this operation for over one year, with sales of approximately 1,000 bottles, according to DCP Nakum.
Health Warning and Public Advisory
DCP Nakum cautioned the public against self-medication. 'People should not take any medicine, whether Ayurvedic, homoeopathic or allopathic, without a prescription from a medical practitioner,' he said, warning that consuming products intended for animals could be harmful or dangerous to humans. Police have also urged anyone who purchased medicines from Shree Shantinath Medical Store and subsequently experienced adverse health effects to seek immediate medical attention and contact law enforcement.
This case highlights a broader concern about counterfeit and adulterated medicines circulating in retail pharmacy networks, particularly in urban markets where oversight may be inconsistent. The joint action by the SOG and the Food and Drugs Department signals renewed regulatory vigilance in Gujarat's pharmaceutical supply chain.
Point of View
Where counterfeit labelling of well-known Ayurvedic brands can go undetected for over a year. The Himalaya Liv.52 brand carries strong consumer trust precisely because it is perceived as safe and natural, making it an attractive vehicle for adulteration. The fact that roughly 1,000 bottles reached patients without triggering a complaint or regulatory flag raises uncomfortable questions about post-market surveillance at the retail level. Gujarat's joint SOG–Food and Drugs Department model is worth replicating, but reactive raids cannot substitute for systematic supply-chain audits.
NationPress
14 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Surat chemist do to get arrested?
Mohammed Sajid Ibrahim Mulla allegedly refilled bulk Himalaya Liv.52 Protec Liquid Animal Feed Supplement into small bottles, affixed counterfeit Himalaya Liv.52 Drops labels, and sold the repackaged product as a human liver medicine from his store in Gopipura, Surat. He reportedly sold around 1,000 such bottles over roughly one year before being caught in a joint raid on 13 October.
Is Himalaya Liv.52 Drops safe for humans?
The genuine Himalaya Liv.52 Drops is a licensed product marketed for human use, while the Himalaya Liv.52 Protec Liquid is an animal feed supplement not approved for human consumption. Police have warned that taking products intended for animals can be harmful to humans and have urged anyone who purchased from this store and felt unwell to seek immediate medical attention.
What charges have been filed against the accused?
A case has been registered at Athwa police station under Sections 123, 125, 336(2), 336(3), 336(4), and 278 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which relate to drug adulteration and acts likely to cause harm. The raid was conducted jointly by the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Gujarat Police and the Food and Drugs Department.
What was seized during the raid?
Investigators seized a five-litre container of the veterinary supplement (valued at ₹1,050), a 60 ml bottle of Liv.52 Drops (₹140), a mobile phone (₹30,000), seven unlabelled empty bottles, seven additional empty bottles of 60 ml and 100 ml, seven caps, seven stoppers, and six counterfeit Liv.52 Drops labels. The total value of seized items was assessed at ₹31,195.
What should people who bought medicine from this store do?
Gujarat Police have appealed to anyone who purchased medicines from Shree Shantinath Medical Store in Gopipura, Athwa, and experienced adverse health effects to seek medical treatment immediately and contact police. DCP Rajdeepsinh Nakum also advised the public never to take any medicine — Ayurvedic, homoeopathic, or allopathic — without a valid prescription from a qualified medical practitioner.
