FSDA operation in Aminabad alleges paper-based diversion of medicines
The Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) executed an operation in Aminabad, Lucknow, on Wednesday that the department said uncovered an alleged organised network dealing in spurious and counterfeit medicines through fraudulent billing and "paper-based" transactions. An FIR has been registered at the Aminabad police station against four accused, the FSDA reported.
According to the department, the campaign was aimed at circulating medicines in the market without any actual supply, using cross-billing and fabricated records of purchase and sale. The probe identified firms and operators who, the FSDA said, maintained extensive paperwork indicating large-scale storage and transactions despite lacking valid drug licences.
"The investigation revealed billing and cross-billing designed to disguise non-supply and the movement of medicines through paper records," the department said in a statement circulated to local authorities.
The FIR names the following accused:
- Ankur Awasthi — Proprietor, Health Plus (Aminabad)
- Manish Bajpai — Operator, MK Pharma
- Govind Shukla — Operator, Ram Pharma
- Aijaz Ahmed — Operator, Patient Care Surgical House (Saharanpur)
The FSDA alleged that Health Plus and Ram Pharma were operating from the same floor in Aminabad and that transactions were being recorded without actual supply. It further said a Saharanpur-based firm, Patient Care Surgical House, which it reported had been closed for nearly two years, was used to generate fraudulent purchase records and to facilitate circulation of paper invoices.
| Accused | Alleged role | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Ankur Awasthi | Proprietor; maintained records of large-scale transactions without a valid drug licence | Aminabad, Lucknow |
| Manish Bajpai | Operator of MK Pharma; reported purchases worth ~₹8.87 crore for FY 2026 | Not specified |
| Govind Shukla | Operator of Ram Pharma; identified as a key operator in the network | Aminabad, Lucknow |
| Aijaz Ahmed | Operator of Patient Care Surgical House; alleged to have been used for fraudulent purchases | Saharanpur |
The department said documents examined during the probe showed purchase records for several medicines, including Zoryl M1 and Augmentin, among others. It added that MK Pharma had reported medicine purchases amounting to approximately ₹8.87 crore for the financial year 2026, a figure that has drawn particular scrutiny.
The FIR was lodged under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the FSDA said. Investigations are ongoing and further searches and checks were reported to be in progress at locations linked to the accused.
Local ramifications and regulatory response
If the allegations are substantiated, the operation points to a supply-chain vulnerability: medicines moving into the market on the basis of documentation rather than physical transfer, potentially facilitating circulation of unauthorised or substandard products. The FSDA action follows a broader state-level push to clamp down on spurious and suspicious medicines and to strengthen enforcement against illegal diversion and sale.
Local traders and consumers in Lucknow are likely to be affected by tighter inspections and compliance demands on pharmacies and distributors, as authorities assess licence records, storage facilities and transactional documentation. The involvement of a closed Saharanpur firm in the alleged paper trail underlines the inter-district nature of such networks.
The Aminabad police and FSDA have not disclosed further operational details or any arrests beyond the FIR naming the four accused. The probe will determine whether the transactions documented by the firms correspond to actual deliveries, whether medicines were sold without proper licences, and whether any counterfeit or spurious drugs entered the supply chain.
Authorities have stressed continued vigilance, and consumers have been advised to procure medicines from licensed pharmacies and to check packaging and licences where possible. The case adds to a series of recent enforcement actions by state regulators targeting illegal and unsafe distribution practices in the pharmaceutical supply chain.
