Key Accused in Karnataka Counterfeit Drug Racket Arrested at Bengaluru Airport

A key accused allegedly involved in an interstate counterfeit drug racket was arrested at Kempegowda International Airport here on Monday after arriving from Azerbaijan, police said.

The accused, identified as Prashanth Rajan Babu (35), is alleged to be the kingpin of the network and had been absconding since the racket came to light. A lookout notice had been issued against him.

A senior police officer said Babu was detained at the airport early Monday and taken into custody following his arrival from Azerbaijan. He is being questioned about his alleged role in the manufacturing and distribution of fake medicines.

The case came to light after the Health and Family Welfare Department and the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration conducted a raid on August 18 at a farmhouse near the Bidadi Toll Gate. Officials seized suspected counterfeit and expired medicines worth nearly ₹5 crore, according to authorities.

Health Minister U T Khader had earlier said the alleged network procured cheap bulk drugs from manufacturing hubs in Telangana and Himachal Pradesh. The drugs were allegedly refilled into new vials at the Bidadi facility and relabelled as premium imported brands of multinational pharmaceutical companies.

Officials said some of the counterfeit medicines were allegedly intended for patients and intensive care units, raising concerns over the potential risks to public health.

Following the discovery, a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to probe the racket and trace its supply network to hospitals and clinics.

During the investigation, police also arrested the owner of a Bengaluru-based healthcare firm in connection with the case.

The arrest of Babu is expected to help investigators establish the wider network involved in the procurement, repackaging, relabelling and distribution of the suspected counterfeit medicines. Further investigation is underway, police said.