2 in net with fake medical equipment

Two men have been arrested for running a factory, manufacturing fake medical treatment equipment used for dialysis and angiography. Duplicate sugar test strips were also being prepared at the factory in Madipur village near west Delhi’s Punjabi Bagh locality, police said on Friday.

Those arrested have been identified as Gulshan Kumar, 33, and Ganesh Kumar Sharma, 26. Gulshan’s sister-in-law had contested municipal corporation election from Madipur village, but lost.

Police have recovered 370 boxes of fake One Touch Horizon sugar test strips, 200 dialysis guide wires of the company Guidewire Technology, 500 femoral catheters of the companies Medcomp USA and Dr Surgical.

“They indulged in the illegal activity due to huge cost difference between the original and duplicate products. The duplicate equipments costs only 10-20 percent to the cost of imported items,” said Ravindra Yadav, additional commissioner of police (crime and railways).

The products are used in saving of lives as they are used to treat critical diseases, and manufacturing of such products requires sterile place. “Astonishingly, the accused confessed of being aware of the high standard norms required for manufacturing these products. Almost all the standard equipments related to these treatments come from the US or other developed countries,” Yadav added.

Police said an input was received on Thursday that a person involved in manufacturing fake medical treatment equipment would come to Baba Kharag Singh Marg near Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital to deliver a consignment.

“A raiding party was constituted and trap was laid near the hospital. At around 11.30 am, we noticed Gulshan on a motorcycle and waiting with a bag,” Yadav added. He was overpowered and the bag’s search led to recovery of large quantity of medical equipments.

On sustained interrogation, Gulshan broke down and disclosed that he was running a factory, where he manufactured duplicate medical treatment equipment of foreign companies. He then led the police team to his factory in Madipur village.

“The factory was found equipped with modern machines although in an unhygienic room of the village. Ganesh was found to be working at the factory,” Yadav said.

The police have also recovered large quantity of machines, raw materials and packing kits. Gulshan had a garment business at Karol Bagh, but suffered loss.

He then started working at Bhagirath Palace, and soon realised that he could earn easy money by manufacturing duplicate medical treatment equipment. “He knew that the equipments were imported from the US and were not too difficult to manufacture,” Yadav added. A case has been registered with crime branch police station.