Police personnel seize fake blood plasma from a truck in Bathinda. (Source: Express photo) Police personnel seize fake blood plasma from a truck in Bathinda. (Source: Express photo)

The counter-intelligence department of the Bathinda Police on Tuesday seized over 21,700 packets (around 7,600 litres) of fake ‘blood plasma’. The force has arrested five persons, associated with city hospitals, in the case.

Blood plasma is the largest component in blood and when isolated, it is a light yellow liquid. Its primary function is to transport nutrients and also critical in treating many diseases as it contains antibodies and proteins.

In the current case, the police claim that refined oil, soya bean milk and egg yolk was mixed and marketed to Reliance Life Sciences. Police claim that the institute had paid an advance of Rs 20 lakh to the accused for a batch of 5,000 litres of blood plasma worth at least Rs 1.25 crore.

Watch Video: What’s making news

The arrested persons are chief lab attendant of Adesh hospital private limited Dlibagh Singh, Paramjeet Singh a former employee of the same hospital. The other three accused are lab technician of Max hospital Paramjeet Singh and his brother Narinder Singh, and Lal Bahadur, a driver.

Ajay Maluja AIG counter intelligence Bathinda and Ferozepur said, “We have seized the duplicate packets of blood plasma along with the van and all arrested persons have been sent in police remand till June 17.”

Dlibagh had a contract with Reliance Life Sciences to supply these packets and he was in regular touch with the company’s office based in Mumbai, said Maluja.

As per the police investigation, the blood plasma was to be used in beauty products.

The accused had made elaborate plans for the crime, said police. They had to keep the product temperature at minus 20 degrees centigrade to make it appear like the the blood plasma was authentic.

Police are questioning employees of the hospitals and the company.

📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App.