188 bottles of duplicate hand sanitisers in Hyderabad, three held

Three men with possession of 188 bottles worth Rs 20,000 of duplicate hand sanitisers were arrested on Saturday in Hyderabad.

"On March 27, 2020, the sleuths of Commissioners Task Force, South Zone Team, Hyderabad, along with Mirchowk and Bhavani Nagar Police conducted joint operation and busted Duplicate Hand Sanitiser sellers at Murad Mahal Road and Sara Medical, Mirchowk, Hyderabad respectively. Apprehended three persons and seized about 188 bottles of duplicate instant hand sanitiser liquid. Total worth of Rs. 20,000/-. Cashing on COVID-19 by cheating the innocent public," an official release from Chakravarthy Gummi, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police said.

The accused has been identified as Mohd Shakeeluddin, Syed Azher Hussain, Abdul Wajid and Mohd Abdul Wasey.

"The accused persons Mohd Shakeeluddin and Azher Hussain are purchasing the duplicate hand sanitisers with labeled as Soft Care Med Plus Sanitizers, Diamond Sanitizers and Healthy Hobby Hand Sanitizer from Abdul Wajid and Mohd. Abdul Wasey at their residence situated at Moghalpura and selling the same to the local Medical Shops and to innocent people illegally on higher rates," the release said.

"Abdul Wajid is one of the working partners of Sagar Homoeo Stores and Clinic and he is well known to prepare Homeo Medicine. They themselves preparing medicine for all diseases like hair loss, dandruff, skin pigmentation problems, pimples, psoriasis, eczema etc., Due to spread of COVID-19, the demand of usage of sanitisers is increased within a short period, they hatched a plan to earn easy money," it said.

Gummi said that the accused are manufacturing sanitisers with available material in their house and supplying into the market without prior permission from the concerned departments.

Sales of hand sanitisers have increased across several national markets since the outbreak of COVID-19.