3 min readMumbaiApr 1, 2015 12:54 AM IST
First published on: Apr 1, 2015 at 12:54 AM IST
Munir Khan at a city court Tuesday. He was remanded to police custody till April 4. (Source: Express photo by Vasant Prabhu)
For a man who became a self-proclaimed doctor after obtaining a certificate in naturopathy in just two months from an institute in the western suburbs in 1999, Munir Mohammad Ahmed Khan (60) rose to fame as a “miracle doctor” mainly with his concoction, Body Revival, that he sold as a sure-shot cure for cancer, diabetes and a host of other ailments, besides appearing alongside several film and television stars in commercials for his product.
In reality, all that Khan did was to mix commonly used Ayurvedic herbs with honey and fill them into 100 ml bottles, which he then sold at Rs 16,000 each until the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cracked down on him in 2008 and filed several police complaints. The FDA, in their complaint in February 2010, had said Khan did not have any medical degree.
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Khan’s advertisements on TV channels promoting his medicines featured him with yesteryear TV actor Tabassum, who later said Khan had misled her into appearing for advertisements with him. In 2009, Khan’s clinic in Versova was raided by the FDA.
Based on several complaints filed by patients, including TV and film personalities, Khan was first arrested by the Versova police in May 2010 for allegedly cheating a total of 143 people. An investigation by Versova police thereafter revealed that Khan was not a doctor as claimed by him and that he only possessed a certificate in naturopathy issued by an institution which is not even recognised.
Sixty-six witnesses recorded their statements in this case, saying that due to the medicines given by Khan, their relatives’ health condition worsened and in some cases resulted in death. Many said their family members lost their vision, got high blood pressure and some even detected with HIV or died after seeking treatment from Khan.
In his own statement to the Versova police, Khan allegedly said he bought herbs from Masjid Bunder, which he would grind and add to honey. Khan claims he was featured in a city daily twice, which contributed to his business’ growth.
A chain smoker, Khan suffered from breathing problems after his arrest in 2010 and had to admitted to the Cooper hospital. He was subsequently released on bail in July 2010 on the condition that he would not sell his “miracle drug” while on bail. Khan then approached the Bombay High Court, saying the bail condition impinged upon his right to livelihood.
megha.sood@expressindia.com
Munir Khan at a city court Tuesday. He was remanded to police custody till April 4. (Source: Express photo by Vasant Prabhu)
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