Bareilly police arrested three persons on Sunday for allegedly operating a fraudulent business that marketed and sold unlicensed Ayurvedic medicines through fake websites, social-media advertisements and cash-on-delivery courier consignments, PTI reported.
Raid on call-centre-style unit, electronic devices seized
Additional Superintendent of Police (City) Manush Pareek said the Baradari police acted on a tip-off and carried out a raid near Yadgar Restaurant on Saturday. Officers found a workspace equipped with laptops, mobile phones and other electronic devices, which they said were used as a call centre to process orders and manipulate documentation.
Police said 75 packets of purported Ayurvedic medicines were recovered at the premises, along with what investigators described as fake bills and shipping labels. Named products recovered include Diabo Diabetic Powder and Brahm Sugar Care, according to the report.
"We received orders through websites and phone calls and prepared fake bills bearing names of different companies to win customers’ trust," Sajid allegedly told police, PTI reported.
Accused, alleged roles and charges
Authorities arrested three men identified as Sajid Malik (resident of Jadoopur in Bhojipura), Islam (resident of Aijaz Nagar Gautiya) and Mohammad Zafar (resident of Pashupati Vihar). Police said each of the accused fulfilled distinct functions within the operation: taking orders, creating technical content and dispatching consignments.
According to the police account relayed by PTI, Islam was involved in technical tasks including creation of online advertisements and a Shopify-based website. Investigators said the advertisements displayed claims of rapid cures; Islam allegedly promoted products with promises of recovery within a short time frame.
Legal action and ongoing probe
Authorities registered an FIR under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 66D of the Information Technology Act. Police said investigations are continuing to trace the wider network, identify suppliers and establish whether any licensed practitioners or firms were impersonated.
Police further said parcels were sent to customers on a cash-on-delivery basis, which complicated traceability and suggested a commercial motive aimed at quick turnover. Investigators are examining banking and courier records to identify purchasers and recipients of the consignments.
- Location of raid: Near Yadgar Restaurant, Bareilly
- Accused arrested: Sajid Malik, Islam, Mohammad Zafar
- Items seized: 75 packets of alleged medicines, fake bills, shipping labels, electronic devices
- Charges: Provisions under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 66D, IT Act
| Recovered items | Details |
|---|---|
| Medicine packets | 75 packets (including products named Diabo Diabetic Powder, Brahm Sugar Care) |
| Documents | Fake bills and shipping labels |
| Electronics | Laptops, mobile phones and related devices |
Public-health and consumer-protection experts often warn against unverified medical claims made online. In Uttar Pradesh and across India, only medicines manufactured and marketed with appropriate registration and clear labelling should be accepted. Police said the products seized were being examined to determine whether they matched the descriptions used in advertisements.
The arrests add to a series of recent enforcement actions against online sellers operating without valid licences or making unproven therapeutic claims. Officials in Bareilly indicated the probe will also look into the origin of the formulations and any upstream suppliers who provided the material for packaging and dispatch.
Police asked anyone who received similar consignments or responded to the advertised websites to contact the Baradari police station as the investigation proceeds. No medical or safety assessments of the recovered products were released by authorities at the time of reporting, PTI said.
Further updates are expected as investigators analyse digital footprints, courier logs and financial transactions to map the full extent of the operation and identify additional accused, if any.
