By AMIT KUMAR
FSDA uncovers an organised racket involving fake billing, cross-billing and bogus transactions; multiple firms sealed as investigation expands to Rajasthan and Uttarakhand.
Lucknow, July 30, 2026 — The Uttar Pradesh government has intensified its crackdown on counterfeit medicines, with the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) busting an organised syndicate allegedly supplying fake drugs through fake billing, cross-billing and fabricated financial transactions.
In what officials described as another major breakthrough under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s “zero tolerance” policy against counterfeit medicines, the FSDA has registered six FIRs at Aminabad Police Station in Lucknow during July and suspended the operations of several pharmaceutical firms pending investigation.
The department said the latest action aims not only at seizing counterfeit medicines but also at dismantling the financial and logistical network supporting the illegal trade.
FSDA Commissioner Dr Roshan Jacob said investigations revealed that Mishra Associates (Aminabad), Mishra Medical Agency (Bachhrawan, Raebareli), Shri Ashok Pharmaceuticals (Aminabad), Bharat Pharma and MDH Pharma were allegedly engaged in fake cross-billing without any actual movement of medicines.
According to the investigation, fake purchase and sale records were generated without corresponding bank transactions to make counterfeit medicines appear genuine.
Based on the findings, FIRs have been registered against Manish Mishra, Amod Kumar Mishra, Sunny Kashyap, Devendra Shukla and Rahul under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Physical verification exposes fake firms
Dr Jacob said another major revelation emerged during the physical verification of Bharat Pharma and MDH Pharma.
Although the firms had reportedly recorded medicine transactions worth crores of rupees, officials found no medicine stock at the registered premises.
The proprietors, Amreen Ahsan and Mantasha, submitted written statements claiming their firms were being operated by Devendra Shukla without their knowledge.
FSDA officials also found that the firms failed to produce purchase invoices, strengthening the suspicion that counterfeit medicines were being circulated through fake documentation.
Antibiotic pricing raised suspicion
The investigation further found that Mishra Medical Agency and Mishra Associates had shown the purchase price of the antibiotic Augmentin Duo 625 at ₹56.60, significantly below its actual landing cost of around ₹116.70.
When questioned, the authorised distributor, Medi King Pharma, denied having made any such sale, reinforcing suspicions that counterfeit medicines had entered the supply chain.
Several firms sealed
As part of the ongoing investigation, the FSDA has suspended operations of several pharmaceutical establishments in Aminabad, including SKG Medicals, Gayatri Pharma & Surgical, Health Plus, MK Pharma, Maa Ambe Pharma, RN Pharma, Sunlight Pharma, Sonal Pharma and Supervision Pharma.
Officials said financial records, stock registers and ledgers are being examined, while several premises have been sealed.
Probe expands beyond Uttar Pradesh
The investigation has now extended beyond Uttar Pradesh.
According to the FSDA, the counterfeit medicines recovered from Aminabad are linked to accused persons in Rajasthan, where FIRs have already been registered.
The department also referred to an earlier raid on an illegal counterfeit medicine manufacturing unit in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, where cases were registered against four accused.
Dr Jacob said the Yogi government has directed drug inspectors across Uttar Pradesh to maintain continuous surveillance over wholesale medicine traders and distributors, cancel licences wherever violations are detected, and pursue strict legal action against those involved in the counterfeit medicines trade.
The department said the campaign against counterfeit medicines will continue until the entire inter-state supply network is dismantled.
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