BENGALURU: Central Crime Branch police raided an Ayurvedic clinic in the city and arrested two people for conning elderly persons into buying fake medicines. Police also recovered fake medicines worth several crores.
The accused have been identified as Rohit Sidnal (20) and Durgappa (49), both residents of Mathikere and hailing from Belagavi district. The main accused Shivanand and Virupaksha are absconding.
Police said Shivanand and Virupaksha used to befriend elderly persons in parks and other places and ask about their illnesses. They would later sell them fake ayurvedic medicines. While Shivanand played the part of the doctor, Virupaksha cheated people posing as an expert in Ayurveda.
Based on a credible tip-off, police raided Tulasi Ayurvedic Medicine in Wilson Garden police limits on Saturday and made the arrests. Police said the accused had set up other such facilities in different parts of the city too and added that the main accused had cases against them in the past.
A case has been registered at Wilson Garden police station, and police are on the lookout for the main accused. The accused had several people working for them whose job was to lure unsuspecting people. These employees were paid a commission for every customer they brought, said police. They added that the accused has charged some of their customers anywhere between Rs 30,000 and Rs 50,000.
Police said the accused kept changing the location of their clinic every two months or so, fearing that they would get caught. They used to tell house owners that they would pay them a higher rent. When landlords accepted, the accused would stay for two months and then move out giving excuses.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (crime) R Ramesh said, “Based on a tip-off, we had registered a complaint and were on the lookout for the accused for the past one month.”