# Fake medicine network kingpin arrested at Bengaluru airport 2026-09-28T16:27:02+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 3 independent outlets The alleged kingpin of an interstate fake medicine racket, Prashanth Rajan Babu (35, or 44 as reported by the Times of India), was arrested Monday morning at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru after returning from Azerbaijan. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) took him into custody and a local court remanded him to SIT custody until October 7. A red corner notice had been issued against him. The racket was uncovered on August 18 when health authorities raided a farmhouse near Bidadi Toll Gate and seized counterfeit and expired medicines worth nearly Rs 5 crore. According to Health Minister U T Khader, the gang procured cheap bulk drugs from Telangana and Himachal Pradesh, refilled them into new vials, and relabelled them as premium imported brands. The Times of India reports that Babu had been detained by Azerbaijani customs trying to smuggle medicine and paid a fine before being deported. The SIT is investigating the network's supply chain to hospitals and clinics, eight other people have been arrested. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Rediff.com, through a PTI wire, and Deccan Herald both report the arrest neutrally, focusing on the procedural facts, lookout notice, SIT custody until October 7, and the alleged kingpin's travel to Azerbaijan and Gulf countries. The Times of India adds two distinctive details the others omit: that the arrested man is 44, not 35 as other sources state, and that he was detained by Azerbaijani customs while trying to smuggle medicine, then released after paying a fine. ToI also describes the SIT's role in arranging his medicines and the wife's persuasion. The age discrepancy and the Azerbaijan smuggling detail are the key unresolved differences. The outcome to watch is whether the SIT's custody, until October 7, yields further arrests or a clearer picture of the supply chain to hospitals. ## Coverage - rediff.com (neutral report) Straight PTI wire reporting, no slant added by outlet - rediff.com (neutral report) Straight PTI wire reporting, no slant added by outlet - timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) Straight reporting with added operational and procedural details - deccanherald.com (neutral report) Straight reporting, police-sourced details, no editorial slant Tags: Azerbaijan, Bengaluru, Kempegowda International Airport, SIT Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/fake-drug-racket-kingpin-arrested-at-bengaluru-airport/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/fake-drug-racket-kingpin-arrested-at-bengaluru-airport/#story-in-brief