Gurgaon fake weight loss medicine racket: Accused also manufactured and marketed ‘ToneUp’ injection, finds probe
Police have said that Sharma, who worked at his father’s firm until 2016, began the illegal operation earlier this month in his Gurgaon flat, allegedly aiming to scale up earnings to Rs 2 crore a month. He allegedly manufactured counterfeit versions of Mounjaro, used to manage diabetes and weight loss. The drug, produced by pharma giant Eli Lilly, was introduced in India last year.
A week after a counterfeit batch of weight loss drug Mounjaro was seized in Gurgaon, police have found that the alleged mastermind, Avi Sharma (32), was also manufacturing and marketing his unapproved weight-loss injections branded ‘ToneUp’, officers said.
Sharma, arrested last week, was on Friday remanded to judicial custody for 14 days.
Gurgaon Drug Control Officer Amandeep Chauhan, who led the raids last week that led to the recovery of counterfeit injections worth over Rs 56 lakh, said that packaging material of ‘ToneUp’ injections have been recovered from Sharma’s flat, which was allegedly being used to produce spurious versions of Mounjaro.
“These injections are not approved by either the Haryana or the Union government. We found evidence that orders were being taken through mobile phones. By Monday, we expect clarity on whether consignments were dispatched and delivered so that they can be immediately recalled,” Chauhan told The Indian Express.
Haryana Food & Drugs Administration Commissioner Manoj Kumar has given strict instructions that a thorough probe should be conducted in the matter, officials said.
According to Chauhan, his department has issued an advisory against the purchase of any product sold under the name ‘ToneUp’, as it was not manufactured in sterile conditions. “As of now, it does not look like the product was widely distributed. So far, we have recalled four fake Mounjaro injections that were delivered in Delhi. Authorities in Hyderabad have been told to either return similar consignments or take them in custody,” he said.
Police have said that Sharma, who worked at his father’s firm until 2016, began the illegal operation earlier this month in his Gurgaon flat, allegedly aiming to scale up earnings to Rs 2 crore a month. He allegedly manufactured counterfeit versions of Mounjaro, used to manage diabetes and weight loss. The drug, produced by pharma giant Eli Lilly, was introduced in India last year.
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Chauhan said Sharma used 3D printers to create near-authentic packaging, including cartons, labels and instruction leaflets. He allegedly sourced raw materials such as peptides, cartridges and injection pens from China through Alibaba.com, and used ChatGPT to learn how to prepare the injections.
The racket was busted on April 18 when a car being used as a cab was intercepted in DLF Phase IV. The driver, Mujammil Khan, claimed he was a medical representative transporting stock supplied by Sharma. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of counterfeit injections worth over Rs 56 lakh, and subsequent probe led police to Sharma’s flat. Khan has also been arrested in the case.
Abhimanyu Hazarika is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Gurgaon. He covers southern Haryana.
Education
- Post-Graduate Diploma in Print Media, Asian College of Journalism (Class of 2020)
- B.A. (Hons) Liberal Arts with a major in Political Science, Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts (Class of 2019)
Professional Experience
Before joining The Indian Express, he worked with Bar & Bench (legal journalism) and Frontline magazine, where he developed experience in court reporting, legal analysis, and long-form investigative features.
Reporting Interests
His work centres on civic accountability, environmental policy, urban infrastructure and culture, crime and law enforcement, and their intersections with politics and governance in and around Gurgaon.
Recent Coverage (2025)
- Crime: Reported on the recovery of 350 kg of explosives and an AK-47 from a rented house in Faridabad, linked to the 2025 Red Fort car explosion case (November 11, 2025).
- Environmental policy: Covered protests outside a Haryana minister’s residence against a Supreme Court order that environmentalists argue could allow mining and real estate development on large parts of the Aravalli hills (December 21, 2025).
- Pollution control measures: Co-authored coverage of the Rekha Gupta government’s enforcement of vehicle restrictions at Delhi-NCR borders (December 21, 2025).
- Road safety and infrastructure: Examined response lapses in the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway hit-and-run case and ongoing investigations into high-speed road crimes in Gurugram.
- Animal welfare policy: Reported on concerns regarding the low budget allocated for stray dog sterilization by the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (November 30, 2025).
- Urban culture: Featured the social media-driven popularity of a new Magnolia Bakery outlet in Gurugram (December 15, 2025).
Contact
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