But behind the white coat and polished digital storefront, Dr Manish Sharma (39) was allegedly running a calculated, high-margin enterprise that exploited the desperation of terminal cancer patients, police say. New Delhi: To his patients and online buyers, he was a medical professional dedicated to sourcing hard-to-find cancer treatments.
The drug, which is not approved for sale in India by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation is priced around Rs 17 lakh per box in the US. Investigators also found two boxes of Darzalex, a targeted antibody therapy manufactured by Janssen Biotech for treating multiple myeloma, carrying a retail price of Rs 2.27 lakh per vial. On returning to India in 2014, he attempted to pass the mandatory foreign medical graduate licensing examination (FMGE) but failed to qualify.
“A team comprising ACP Bhagwati Prasad and inspector Pawan laid a trap in Sukhdev Vihar of south-east Delhi and arrested the suspect, a resident of Faridabad ,” joint CP Surender Kumar said about Sharma’s arrest. “The Darzalex and four seized vials of Human Albumin Solution — a plasma volume expander critical for emergency care — originated from Turkey and were smuggled into the country without regulatory oversight,” Delhi police said in its statement. Sharma, the cops said, was raised in Bhind, near Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, and completed his secondary education before travelling to Russia to pursue an MBBS degree.
The unravelling of his illicit network happened when the cops got a tip-off about the alleged racket in April-end. The information was about large-scale distribution of smuggled, adulterated and unapproved anti-cancer and life-saving drugs throughout Delhi-NCR. A search of the vehicle allegedly yielded an alarming collection of high-value, specialised pharmaceuticals. The cops, operating alongside authorised representatives from major drug manufacturers, seized four packets of Iclusig (ponatinib), an advanced kinase inhibitor used to treat specific forms of leukemia. investigators discovered that the illicitly distributed supply chain relied heavily on fake and smuggled iterations manufactured in Turkey While the original drugs hail from corporate hubs in Japan and the US.
Following his marriage in 2023, he expanded his footprint by opening a second branch of the hospital in Sohna, hiring freelance doctors to staff the clinics. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Delhi | Silver Rate in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi | Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Petrol Price in Delhi | Diesel Price in Delhi | CNG Price in Delhi | LPG Price in Delhi Stay updated with the latest Delhi news.
Four months after his arrest, the cops are now set to file a chargesheet, officials said. Undeterred by the lack of certification, Sharma worked briefly at a hospital in Faridabad before opening his own hospital in Jawahar Colony, also in Faridabad. However, financial strain forced him to shut both the facilities within a year, but Sharma quickly pivoted. He opened HK Polyclinic in Faridabad with his wife and registered a companion commercial entity, HK Pharmaceuticals, at the same address. Sharma later expanded his commercial reach online through e-commerce and B2B platforms. Realising that there are massive profit margins associated with scarce oncology drugs, he began sourcing unapproved, smuggled and adulterated treatments, exploiting vulnerable buyers who approached him, searching for critical medication. The crime branch booked him under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, and other applicable statutory laws. A probe is also under way to dismantle the broader international network from where Sharma sourced the medicine. Download the TOI App.