A medical store owner in Surat has been arrested on charges of repackaging a liver tonic meant for animals and selling it as medicine for children. Police say he sold the product at nearly twice its price.

A team from the Surat Special Operations Group (SOG) raided the store in the Gopipura locality and arrested its owner, Mohammad Sajid Ibrahim Mulla, 51, Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajdeepsinh Nakum said on Wednesday. These are police allegations, and nothing has been proved in court.

How police say it worked

According to the DCP, Mulla took large one-litre and five-litre cans of Himalaya Liv.52 Protec Liquid Veterinary Feed Supplement, a product intended for animals such as horses, cows and buffaloes. He allegedly filled the liquid by hand into small 60 ml and 100 ml bottles, then stuck on counterfeit labels reading “Himalaya Liv.52 Drops”, which is a paediatric product meant for human use.

The bottles, police say, were designed to look like the genuine children’s medicine so that customers would not notice the difference. A genuine 60 ml bottle of Liv.52 Drops for humans carries a maximum retail price of Rs 160, according to reports. The accused is alleged to have sold his version at around twice the price.

A year of sales

Investigators say Mulla admitted to selling around 1,000 bottles over the past year. Police seized materials and other items worth Rs 31,195 during the raid.

The SOG and the Food and Drugs Department are now looking into whether the allegedly counterfeit bottles were also supplied to other businesses or healthcare facilities.

The charges

An FIR has been registered at the Athwa police station under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. They include causing hurt by means of poison, a rash or negligent act endangering human life, forgery, and sale of one drug as another.

What parents should do

Police have asked anyone who bought the medicine from this store and suffered any adverse effects to seek medical treatment immediately and to contact the police. They have also advised consumers to check the authenticity and quality of any medicine with their treating doctor, and to give medication strictly as prescribed.

A few simple habits can help. Buy children’s medicines from licensed pharmacies, ask for a bill, check the packaging, batch number, and seal, and be wary of a bottle that looks hand-filled or has a label that seems uneven. If you suspect a product is fake, report it to the local drug control office or police.

The case is also a reminder that the genuine product and its maker are not the subject of this investigation. The allegation is about someone copying the label of a well-known brand.

What happens next

The inquiry now turns to the supply chain. Investigators will try to establish how many bottles were sold, who bought them, and whether any child was harmed. Until then, police say, the accused remains in the legal process, and the facts will be tested in court.

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