Two Men Arrested In Kerala For Forging Psychiatric Prescriptions To Obtain And Sell Mental Health Medications

Two individuals were apprehended in Kerala after allegedly falsifying a psychiatrist's prescription to unlawfully obtain and distribute tablets prescribed for mental health conditions, according to police reports released Sunday.

Police officials stated that the suspects created counterfeit versions of a Paravur hospital psychiatrist's seal and prescriptions. They reportedly used these fraudulent documents to purchase medications from various pharmacies before selling them illegally. Authorities believe the pair may have also consumed the drugs as intoxicants.

The suspects were identified as Nixon, 31, and Sanoop, 36. Their arrest was carried out by a coordinated team comprising the Rural District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (Dansaf), the Munambam Deputy Superintendent of Police's Special Investigation Team, and Paravur police officers.

The arrests followed an investigation initiated after Ernakulam Rural District Police Chief Vaibhav Saxena received confidential information. Authorities continue to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the complete scope of the suspects' operations.

This incident underscores the growing drug problem in Kerala. In 2024 alone, 24,517 cases were filed under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act of 1985. The state has also experienced a series of violent incidents recently that investigators suspect may be connected to drug abuse.